


Bound

by undermounts



Category: Bloodbound (Visual Novels)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Choices, Choices: Stories You Play - Freeform, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Gen, Other, Past Character Death, Pixelberry, Post-Book, Redemption, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Time Jump, Twenty Years Later, bloodbound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:40:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 36
Words: 164,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23531740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undermounts/pseuds/undermounts
Summary: Twenty-two years after defeating Rheya, Diana travels across Europe in search of mysterious objects that have plagued her dreams. Along the way, she must confront beasts of all kinds, face the truth about the power that lies beneath her skin, and face the man she sentenced to live, Gaius Augustine.
Relationships: Adrian Raines/Main Character (Bloodbound), Adrian Raines/Original Female Character(s), Gaius Augustine & Main Character (Bloodbound), Gaius Augustine/Main Character (Bloodbound)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 109





	1. Prologue: Alone

Growing up, Diana had always been lonely.

When she was younger, Diana would cling to her mother’s fingertips, begging for a baby sister. She would even settle for a baby brother if she had to. 

She wasn’t old enough to recognize that the gentle smile her mother gave her in response was just a little too sad around the edges, the skin around her eyes a little too tight. She wasn’t old enough to understand the look that passed between her parents whenever she asked or the way her father always glanced away first.

“One day,” her mother promised, again and again. 

When school came around, Diana held her friends close to her heart. Without even understanding what friendship was or what it meant, Diana knew that when she was with the other kids, she wasn’t alone, and for her, that was enough. 

She hadn’t meant to scare them all away. 

One day they were all at the park, playing as they always did. She ran circles around trees until her cheeks were flushed and her chest was tight. She plucked flowers and romped through the grass, staining her dress green all the while. She held sweaty little hands and whispered secrets and laughed until her belly hurt, but none of that mattered because at least it was a _ good _ sort of pain.

And then her vision had flared with white and she wasn’t in a park anymore, but a battlefield, and it wasn’t flowers and recycled fountain water that she smelled but something more foul and overwhelming. It lay thick on her tongue, sharp and metallic. She was reminded of copper pennies and skinned knees and biting the tip of her tongue and that was because―

Because it was  _ blood. _

Diana screamed as the landscape around her suddenly came alive with such shocking clarity that she stumbled back, her small body bracing itself as she landed on something neither soft nor hard but most definitely not the ground. She screamed again for she wasn’t on the dewy grass of the park but surrounded by bodies, dead bodies. She had never seen a real dead person before. She’d heard from other children that the dead simply looked like they were sleeping, but not these ones. These ones had gaping mouths and wide, glassy eyes. They were open―god, why were they  _ open? _

And then there was a figure―no two―only a few yards away. Men, they appeared to be, but one was all wrong, bent at odd angles and slumped against the other. The stench of blood and decay rose again and bile burned in Diana’s throat as she screamed again, this time for her mother. Almost as if spurred on by her screams, one of the figures turned in a spray of gore; the other slumped to the ground,  _ dead _ , she realized too late as the remaining man―was it even a man?―faced her and she caught the glint of red where eyes should have been and sharp, bloody teeth―

Diana was screaming, screaming so loud and hard her throat burned in protest and she shut her eyes before she realized that  _ thing’s _ gaze swept past her, unseeing, to something in the distance. When she opened her eyes again, there was only sunlight sifting through the leaves above and grass beneath her feet. There was her mother, holding her close, whispering gentle reassurances, stroking her hair as she always did when something was wrong. And everything was so,  _ so _ wrong.

Diana sobbed, trembling the arms of her mother as the children she once called friends looked on in wonder, some in fear, and eventually, turned away. Diana had held her friends close to her heart, but it wasn’t enough to make them stay.

Later, when she clung to her mother’s fingertips, she no longer asked any questions.

Diana was used to being lonely, but she hated being alone.

* * *

He has been alive long enough to know that history repeats itself.

Hell, he has been alive long enough to have witnessed life become history. He has witnessed the events that have shaped this world, has even doctored more than a few wars and political maneuvers to bend societies to his will.

He knows that at the end of every conflict, the good men win and bad men die.

Up until about two decades ago, he thought that he was good. Well, not necessarily good, but right. Just. He had always thought that he was on the right side of history, but now? Not so much.

Millennia of violence, bloodlust, and wicked cruelty weighed on him now, staining his soul, shredded as it may be.

He should be dead. They should have killed him. His Queen, his soldier, the newblood… they should have killed him.  _ She _ should have killed him. And yet…

And yet, she spared him. The Bloodkeeper. Diana.

She should have killed him. 

He was not in the habit of making promises, or at least making promises he intended to keep. But for this, he made an exception.

_ They were standing in the temple, where his shadow kingdom began, where he was defeated, where he was reborn. So many memories lay within these stone walls. He supposed it was fitting that this was where his life should end. _

_ The Bloodkeeper stood before him, face placid, chin tilted up as she regarded him. Already, she had changed drastically. There was something almost unworldly about her now; he could feel her power all around him, just as he had felt Rheya’s whenever she was near. But this was different. She was controlled, tethered to this world, to its inhabitants, vampires and humans alike. Yes, in this and many other things, she was unlike Rheya. Unlike himself as well. There was no rage or cruelty in her dark eyes. Only a sad sort of wisdom and fatigue. She was tired. And so was he. _

_ There was a time when he wanted her to fear him. He relished when she did.  _

_ Now, she has become the only person he has ever feared.  _

_ He dipped his chin, ever so slightly, submitting himself to her judgment. _

_ Her eyes met his and he willed himself not to flinch as she spoke _ ―

_ “You deserve a second chance.” _

_ The floor dropped out from under him and he stared, suspended in disbelief. He could do nothing but nod and attempt to maintain some semblance of neutrality as she gave her sentence. He addressed Kamilah first, his voice filled with a bit of hope, a bit of humor, all of it honest. Somehow, that was easier, facing the woman he loved for two thousand years, despite everything that stood between them. And as he turned to go, he, at last, faced the Bloodkeeper once again, steeling himself.  _

_ “Diana… thank you for this chance,” he said softly, not caring if the others heard. He owed them all, and perhaps one day he could get around to making things right between his progeny, his closest circle. But this… this he would do before all else. Staring into the Bloodkeeper’s eyes, he made the first promise in two millennia that he fully intended to keep. “... I’ll do you proud.” _

The memory echoed in his head as he drove his  _ gladius _ through the back of a Feral and yanked it up, slicing its body in two. The Feral dispersed into ash, coating his hands and falling to rest on the boots of the young girl sprawled on the ground before him.

He sheathed his sword as the young girl stared up at him, mouth agape and eyes wide as saucers. Wordlessly, he helped the girl up, quickly dusting ash from her sleeves before turning away. The sooner he disappeared, the better. There was more work to do. More beasts to kill and people to protect.

“Are you a superhero?”

Despite his better judgment, he froze, glancing over his shoulder. The girl couldn’t be more than eight years old. By all logic, she should be terrified after what had just unfolded. Anyone would be terrified after being attacked by a savage Feral, out for flesh and blood. And then there was the other monster, perhaps the worst of the two, that wielded fangs and a sword. But the look in her eyes was anything but. Instead, there was only admiration. Awe.

It made him wince.

“No,” he said softly, turning away. “Not in this story.”

And with that, Gaius Augustine disappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter 1: Searching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Diana searches for a mysterious artifact, she finds more trouble than she bargained for.

**_Aosta, Italy, 2042_ **

Diana slipped through the shadows, feet near-silent as she traversed the stone streets and alleys of Aosta, the moon full and bright above her. The town was quiet, most of its occupants deep in their slumber by this time of night. 

She had left her lodging about half an hour prior, prepared to make the quick ten-minute journey to her destination when she had sensed another presence. As usual, it began as a prickling sensation at the back of her skull that spread like cold fire down the nape of her neck, the hair on her arms standing on end. Diana cast her senses, tendrils of psychic power dispersing through the night like ink through water until she sought what she was looking for.

The signature she found was ancient, far older than her, and distinctly inhuman, although she concluded this individual was not particularly powerful. Probably. Her own signature was masked so as not to alert any supernatural beings or even sensitive humans from paying her too much attention. It was possible whoever else was out there had done the same. 

When the presence did not disappear after five minutes, Diana decided whoever this was was following her. She doubled back, taking a few random turns and sticking to the shadows in an attempt to lose her pursuer. Although she had no doubt she could handle herself, it was better to avoid a fight if possible. It would draw less attention from both the locals and anyone else who might be looking out for her. 

Europe after all, was still risky territory, even after vampires emerged in the States nearly two decades ago. There were still humans who were hesitant to live side by side with vampires and Diana couldn’t fault them for being wary. Beyond that, there were other vampires as well in Europe that she wouldn’t quite call friends. Those who had devoted themselves to the First, those who were _still_ devoted to Rheya.

Diana felt a twinge in her chest as she thought of Serafine. The Daughters of Rheya. If only she had spared a moment before confronting Rheya, perhaps she could have swayed Serafine… made her see reason. 

Diana was not proud of her own mercilessness after losing Lily. She had lost herself, her control, to all of the pain and rage. For a few moments, she had lost her humanity, just as Rheya had. And it still scared her to think of what could have happened had Adrian not tethered her to this earth. It scared her even more think of what could still happen.

Diana paused in a doorway, momentarily lost in her own thoughts as she absently rubbed her thumb over the small charm that hung around her neck. A lily, formed from the silver of one of her best friend’s crossbow bolts. God, she missed Lily. She missed her every day. It was made even worse by the fact that Diana was now so far from home and everyone she loved. Kamilah, Jax, Adrian…

That caused another pang of sadness to roll through her, the thought of home. Home was basking in the moonlight with Kamilah, tending to night-blooming flowers. Home was training other vampires, young and old, with Jax in self-defense, teaching them how to protect those who can’t protect themselves. Home was resting safely in Adrian’s arms after a long day of working towards the better world they all had dreamed of and fought so hard for.

That was home for Diana, even if some aspects were no longer available.

She shook her head, breaking from her thoughts and huffed. _A psychic lost in her own mind._

Coming back to the present, she cast her senses out once more and was pleased to find that she no longer felt that supernatural signature. She had either lost her pursuer or it was a coincidence. Either way, she continued with caution, taking a few extra turns than necessary. Just in case.

Eventually, she arrived at her destination. A nondescript stone house on the outskirts of town. It was well cared for, if not a little old. Potted plants bloomed on the doorstep and in the windowsills. Diana pinched a bit of soil from a flower pot between her fingers. Dry. Again, she reached out mentally, searching for any other signatures, human or otherwise, but the house was empty. She suspected it had been for a while. Had counted on it.

Glancing around, she ascended the steps to the front door and placed her hand on the wooden surface and held her breath. Nothing. That was good she supposed.

Over the last few years, Diana had come to learn that people weren’t the only sources of memory she could access. Objects held memories as well, especially those that were well used or had some sort of sentimental value to its owner. 

Diana let her hand fall to the door handle and closed her eyes, thinking of the lock’s tumblers sliding free. The door unlocked with a soft _click_ and Diana entered.

The house was more like a studio apartment. There was a living area with a couch, television, and an old wooden table surrounded by four cushioned chairs on her left, a modest kitchen on her right. Against the far back wall was a single bed, unmade. The house was well-lived in, littered with little trinkets that seemed to have come from around the world. This place was… Diana rested her hand against the worn surface of the wooden table and sucked in a sharp breath. Loved. This place was loved.

She glanced around again, this time seeing it as its owner did. This house was a sanctuary, a place of peace, comfort, and belonging. Diana eyed the heavy curtains that covered the windows and realized that the plants in the windowsill were moonflowers, a sort of night-blooming flowers she recognized from Kamilah’s garden. This further confirmed her research and her own psychic senses. This was the home of a vampire.

Diana took one second to take in the peaceful air of the room, appreciating it for just a moment, before she swept forward and began to search. Diana loosened the damper on her power, opening herself to perceive other signatures she would otherwise have to actively search for to perceive, which was more difficult when she wasn’t sure what exactly she should be looking for.

She paced, feeling her power rush to her fingertips, eager to be used. In some ways, her power felt like a sentient being. It seemed to have its own will, although Diana had long since learned to curb it so that it was merely suggestive to her. In other ways, it felt like water, the way it moved through her. She could dam it up when she had to, halting its flow; when she released it, that was when her magic was most insistent, rushing through her like a tidal wave before it gradually leveled out.

Once she felt her magic settle, Diana crossed to the center of the room, closed her eyes, and waited.

 _Where are you?_ she thought, breathing deep. _I know you have been calling for me. I am here._

The dreams had begun a few weeks ago, during one of her first days in her new apartment. She had gotten fragments of something that resembled a necklace, perhaps an amulet. It was silver, engraved with odd runes and inset with a pale green stone. Following this had been glimpses of the majestic snowcapped mountains that formed the Valley of Aosta, then the exterior of this very house.

There were more dreams after that, of different objects in different places, all of them whispering of some sort of power. Diana still did not quite understand why these objects were calling to her, perhaps due to her own restlessness she had unknowingly sought them. Either way, when she had spoken to Adrian about searching for them, he had agreed that perhaps it was safer for these objects to be brought to New York where they could be monitored rather than out in the world. Although Diana suspected that Adrian had only agreed with her because he no longer felt that he didn’t have a right to do otherwise, given their new situation.

So searching for the mysterious objects was a welcome task for Diana. It gave her the space she needed, even though she wasn’t always certain that this was the space she wanted.

_Where…_

And then she felt it, a low hum that echoed throughout her bones. She moved in the direction of the source, her senses guiding her towards the bed in the back of the room. The bed, she sensed, was ordinary, so she gently lifted it and set it out of the way so she could survey the area it occupied. Diana brushed her fingers along the wall. Nothing. Humming to herself, she continued along the wall, walking slowly until she felt a floorboard shift slightly beneath her foot.

She couldn’t help but smirk to herself. Of course, whatever this was would be hidden beneath the floorboards. Diana crouched, wedging her fingertips into the crease of the board she had stepped on and gently lifting it. A bundle of faded red cloth sat at the bottom of a small compartment. Diana sucked in a small breath and carefully extracted it, just in case the object was particularly malevolent, although she sensed whatever magic or power this held bore no ill intent. To her at least.

Diana unwrapped the cloth, humming in satisfaction as she recognized the object of her dreams. _There you are._ The talisman glinted in the silvery moonlight as she inspected it, her own mottled reflection staring back at her. She tried to discern what sort of purpose it had, whether it was inherently good or evil, but as she studied it, she decided that it simply just was. Whether the talisman could be used for good or evil was dependent on its owner.

As she studied it, the pale green stone at the center seemed to pulse alluringly. _Odd._ Compelled, she reached out with her other hand and touched the pad of her finger to the gem’s polished surface.

Before she could react, her power surged, psychic energy rushing through her fingertips and into the amulet with a blindingly bright flash. Diana gasped, dropping the talisman to the floor with a metallic _clunk!_ She stared at it, breathing hard as her power dissipated around her, sated and once again under her control. What the hell _was_ that? 

After a moment passed and nothing else happened, she nudged the talisman with the toe of her boot, turning it over so that the stone, now dull and unassuming, faced her. She could still feel its signature like a faint tingling sensation, but whatever energy she had interacted with, ignited, had gone dormant.

Cautiously, Diana crouched down and wrapped it back up with the thick, velvety cloth. Lesson learned. She would not be touching that with her bare skin any time soon.

Before Diana could think too hard about whether or not she had a right to take this talisman, she felt that prickling sensation at the back of her skull, more intense than before. She shoved the talisman into the inner pocket of her jacket and shot to her feet, blood singing. It was the same presence she felt before, although now that she had spent time in this house, she could at least tell that the two signatures did not align. Whoever was nearby wasn’t the house’s occupant.

Diana heard the scrape of gravel and knew with grave certainty that whoever she had sensed earlier was right outside. She scowled, reaching for the sword at her back. If whoever was out there hadn’t sensed her when she loosened her hold on her power to find the talisman, they certainly did when she touched it. She wondered distantly just who else she might have alerted.

Diana crept towards the door, breathing evenly. Diana didn’t bother to reign in her power again lest she alert whoever was outside that she picked up on their presence. Let them believe they have an advantage. She waited, quieting her mind and settling into a state Kamilah called the “killing calm.” Let them come to her.

As anticipated, Diana hear a sharp inhale, the scuffle of a boot on concrete, and then the door flew open. Diana caught the flash a scarlet gaze and gleaming incisors before she spun, planting her foot against the chest of her attacker. They tumbled back out of the building and Diana followed, closing and locking the door behind her without a second thought as she loosened her hold on her power even more.

Diana watched as her attacker picked themselves off the ground and bared their fangs, hissing in anger. A vampire then. She could handle that.

It was a young woman, although Diana knew this vampire was far older than she. Her blond hair looked silver in the moonlight, save for the dark patch that resulted from a bloody gash on her forehead.

Diana reached for the sword strapped to her back and then paused. Attacker or no, she didn’t want to take any lives tonight. Whether she would be able to escape this encounter without death still remained to be seen. She let both arms fall to her sides, palms facing outwards. 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Diana said softly, stepping off the doorstep. “We don’t need to do this.”

“ _Traitor!_ ” the woman snarled and then launched herself forward once again.

Diana dodged a punch aimed at her head with ease, twisting her body and whirling around so that the woman’s back was now to the house. Diana glanced around at the nearby houses and then beyond to the field and forest beyond. The woman struck again, this time with a low sweeping kick that Diana barely backed away from. She had to get the woman away from these houses and towards the field. There was no telling what humans might do if they awoke and witnessed two vampires fighting. And if someone else got involved…

“Die!” the woman hissed, freeing a stake from the inside of her boot and stabbing down towards Diana’s chest.

“I’ll pass,” Diana grunted, catching the woman’s fist. She yanked the woman forward and headbutted her hard. The woman stumbled back with a cry, head cracking back, and Diana took the advantage to bolt towards the field.

“Coward! I’ll kill you!”

Diana grit her teeth and wondered why the woman couldn’t vow to kill her _silently._

Long blades of grass whispered around her legs as Diana bound through the field and closer to the edge of the forest. The further away they were from the town, the better. The moon shown brightly down on her, providing no shadows for cover in the open field, which suited her just fine. She had no plans of hiding.

Diana heard twigs snap underfoot behind her and spun, planting her feet in the ground and stretching out her hand, using the woman’s momentum against her as she wrapped her hand around her throat and lifted her off her feet, turning with the motion before slamming her into the ground.

“Stop this,” Diana growled, staring into bloodred eyes. “You don’t need to do this.”

“The Daughters of Rheya will _never_ stop fighting the enemies of our Goddess!” The woman’s eyes bulged, glinting with hate and fury as her face turned blotchy. She clawed at Diana’s harm, her wrist, reaching for her face before Diana pinned her wrists with her free hand. Diana’s blood went cold at the mention of the Daughters of Rheya. That was Serafine’s following. Jax and Adrian had been keeping tabs on the group; over the last two decades, the Daughters had grown in numbers but had yet to act, appearing to be not much of a threat. Perhaps by crossing into Europe, into their domain, Diana had changed that.

“This is suicide!” Diana snapped, preparing to delve into the woman’s mind, hoping to help her see reason. “One vampire isn’t enough to―”

She cut herself off. Yes, one vampire against her was a suicide mission, so there had to be another―

“Let her go!” another voice demanded and Diana almost rolled her eyes at her own lack of foresight before the new arrival continued. “Let her go or I’ll slit his throat.”

Without turning, Diana perceived another vampire and indeed their human charge. Immediately, Diana released her hold on her first attacker and stood, hands up. Slowly turning around, she saw her another woman with closely shaved dark hair glaring back at her. In her grip was a young boy, eyes wide and afraid, a wicked knife gleaming against his throat. Her power pulsated, begging to be used. She knew she could kill both attackers but she refrained. If that could be avoided...

Suddenly her feet were swept out from under her and Diana went crashing to the ground, the wind swiftly knocked from her lungs. The first woman was on her in an instant, expression nearly feral as she wrapped both hands around Diana’s throat and slammed her head back against the hard-packed dirt. Diana grit her teeth, fighting down the panic that came with being unable to breathe as she rose her hand not to break the grip on her throat but to place her palm directly against the woman’s forehead.

Immediately the hands at her throat went slack as Diana entered the mind palace of the woman, forcing her to see her own horrific memories of Rheya as she sifted through the woman’s.

“Lies,” the woman seethed, thrashing weekly against Diana’s hold and Diana sensed that the woman truly did not believe the memories she showed her.

_It’s because she’s never met Rheya. There is no truth to hold against her, no memories to compare this to._

Amidst the crushing realization that Diana could not simply turn the woman to see reason, to believe the truth about Rheya, Diana found another truth within the woman’s mind. She would not stop until Diana was dead.

Diana saw the woman’s next action a split second before it happened, barely twisting just enough so that the knife the woman pulled from a sheath at her thigh missed her heart and instead plunged into Diana’s shoulder, all the way to the hilt.

Diana gasped in pain, body surging as she hurled the woman off of her, no longer thinking to check her strength as she rocked to her feet, adrenaline rushing, power screaming to be released. Slipping into that cold, killing calm, Diana wrenched the knife from her shoulder with a grunt and flung it into the abdomen of the blond woman, unsheathing the sword at her back in the same motion.

The blond woman’s eyes flew wide as Diana stepped forward, her face neither furious nor scrunched with pain. It was eerily calm as she shook her head in disappointment and her eyes flashed with something akin to sorrow.

“I told you to stop,” Diana said in a low, even voice as she swung her blade out in a gleaming, fatal arc.

“ _No!_ ” The second woman screamed in anguish as the first dissolved into ash and Diana whirled, eyes widening and power boiling to the surface as the other Daughter brought her arm sideways, preparing for that fatal slash of a knife.

Diana reached her arm out, but not fast enough.

She watched in disbelief as a blade suddenly protruded through the chest of the remaining woman and the knife fell to the ground as the hand holding it turned to ash. When the woman was nothing more than specks of dust on the wind and the young boy stumbled forward, gasping in shock but otherwise unharmed, Diana stared at the man before her as he observed the scattering ashes with a sharp exhale before meeting her gaze.

Diana’s fingertips threatened to drop her sword before she gripped it tighter, the leather creaking beneath her palm as she whispered, “Gaius.”


	3. Chapter 2: An Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: After twenty-two years, Diana and Gaius reunite.

_**Aosta Valley, Italy** _

Diana was vaguely aware of tall blades of grass swaying in the wind around her, delicately caressing her arms and cheeks, like soft whispers against her skin, as she sat on the ground, the young boy draped across her lap, unconscious. She held him gently, eyes closed and fingertips pressed to his forehead as she immersed herself in his mind.

Nebulae of indigo and amber matter swirled around her as she focused on the silvery threads that wove together the tapestries of his recent memories, delicately removing the strands that formed her own image as well as Gaius’s and the two Daughters’. 

_ Diana observed through his memories as the young boy wandered onto the front porch of his home, curious about the noise in the street outside. A shout. A crash. Diana watched as he rubbed sleep from his eyes, still yawning when the second Daughter of Rheya had appeared before him, seemingly out of nowhere. She was smiling and for a moment, the young boy smiled back. Diana felt the moment he realized there was something wrong about this stranger who appeared so suddenly, whose smile seemed unnaturally wide. The street beyond had gone quiet, there was no sign of whatever ruckus had roused him from sleep. Uneasy, he stepped back towards the front door, smile fading. _

_ “Where are you going?” the woman crooned, stepping forward as he stepped back. “The sun is down. It’s time to  _ play.”

On the corporeal plane, Diana’s body shuddered in response.

Diana removed those threads of memory, weaving together the gaps she had left with the remaining material and supplementing doctored versions of what she took away. When the boy woke in the morning, he would not remember cunning smiles, vicious fangs, and sharp knives. Instead, he would only remember dreaming of empty fields, soft grass, and the sky full of stars above.

As she polished up the new memories, Diana felt _ him _ there, on the edge of her perception. She felt his amusement, his restlessness, his… curiosity. Even detached from her body, she could feel the intensity of his gaze, burning like a brand on her skin.

“Would you stop that?” she snapped, concentration broken, her consciousness now split between her own body and in the child’s mind palace.

“Stop what?” Gaius hummed, voice perfectly neutral. If she could, Diana would have rolled her eyes.

“ _ Staring _ . It’s distracting. And rude.” Diana huffed, eyes still closed.

She heard Gaius scoff, but he turned away nonetheless, soil crunching beneath his boots. “As you wish, Your Highness.”

Diana scowled but slammed her mental barriers back up, retreating into the boy’s mind to finish her work in peace.

Hardly a minute later, she had finished, withdrawing from his mind with a satisfied hum. Diana had taken longer than necessary to alter the child’s memories, but her work was seamless. And if she was being honest with herself, she was stalling, staving off the moment she would have to face the new predicament she suddenly found herself in.

_ Gaius _ was here.  _ Gaius,  _ who she had not seen in more than two decades. And he had come to her aid.

Diana opened her eyes, letting her hand fall from the boy’s forehead to the ground beneath her. She took a deep breath, looking first to the moon, bright and luminous overhead, and then to Gaius.

He had already been watching her.  _ Again _ .

“So it is done, then?” he asked, waving his hand towards the boy although his eyes remained locked on hers.

Diana swallowed and nodded, shifting the boy, still fast asleep, in her arms to stand. “Yes. He won’t remember any of this.”

Before Diana could get to her feet, Gaius was there, lifting the child from her arms and tucking him against his chest with a gentleness Diana had never seen in him before, although his face remained perfectly placid. It was...an odd sight. Although she had made peace with Gaius many years ago, Diana was admittedly having difficulty reconciling her last memories of Gaius, even when he was free of Rheya’s corruption, with the man standing before her, cradling a child.

Her thoughts must have been clear on her face because Gaius huffed at her expression, turning on his heel and striding towards town without a second glance. Wordlessly, Diana drew her coat tighter around herself and followed.

Once the field had given way to the edge of town, Gaius slowed, letting Diana lead the way to the boy’s home, guided by the memories she had witnessed. She waited outside, leaning against the wall of a nearby building as Gaius silently entered the house to put the child back in bed.

Her mind reeled, still coming to terms with the fact that Gaius was here in Aosta with her. No one had heard a word from him since he left New York City. Jax had speculated―more like hoped―that Gaius had died, unlikely as it was. Adrian and Kamilah had agreed that as long as he wasn’t causing trouble, he was the farthest thing from their minds. Diana on the other hand, had secretly hoped that he was somewhere out there, trying to do some good in the world. Like he promised her he would.

It wasn’t often that Diana thought of Gaius, but whenever she did, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was foolish for vehemently holding onto a promise Gaius was under no obligation to keep.

When he finally emerged from the house, Gaius blinked at Diana, as if surprised she was still there. Diana watched as he hesitated, and then crossed the street to where she stood.  _ Did Gaius ever hesitate? _ They stood together in the shadows, the air between them taut as they sized each other up. Finally, Gaius spoke first, breaking the silence. 

“You’re different.”

Diana raised an eyebrow, pointedly looking him up and down. “And you’re wearing pants.”

It was true. As far as outward appearances went, Gaius looked just as he did twenty years ago, wavy hair still falling at about chin-length, one eyebrow forever lifted as if he regarded everything he saw with detached amusement. The only difference was he had ditched the doublet for something more modern: black jeans and a sweater of the darkest blue.

A muscle feathered in Gaius’s jaw as he stared down at her. “Perhaps you aren’t so different after all.”

Diana smiled slightly at that.

With a sigh, Gaius turned, scanning the streets around them, eyes glinting in the moonlight. “We shouldn’t stay out here. Just in case there are more…  _ cultists _ ,” he grimaced as if the word had left a bad taste in his mouth. “...around”

Diana opened her mouth to protest that the Daughters of Rheya weren’t a cult―Serafine and cult simply did not fit together―but the more she thought about it, the less inclined she was to argue with him. Instead, she frowned slightly, glancing between Gaius and some spot southwest of where they were now. Diana pushed off the wall, waving a hand at Gaius. “Come on. I’ve got a room. We can talk there.”

* * *

Diana felt like she was dreaming.

She sat on the edge of her bed, watching as Gaius absently roamed around her hotel room, running his hand along the mantle of the fireplace that crackled to life along the far wall.

Gaius was here. In her room. Wearing  _ jeans _ .

She shook her head and cleared her throat. They sat in silence for long enough. “What are you doing here?”

Gaius glanced over his shoulder at her, firelight flickering across his countenance. “I could ask you the same thing. Shouldn’t you be back in New York, helping stray pups find their forever homes?”

Diana grit her teeth. “Is that what you think I do?”

He shrugged indifferently. “Isn’t that the sort of thing you good do-ers… do? You and Adrian, the good Samaritans.”

Diana let out a long breath, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at him. “I’m on… a mission.”

“By yourself.”

“I can handle myself.” The moment Diana said it, she braced herself for some sarcastic comeback.  _ Clearly, _ she imagined Gaius scoffing.

Instead, he merely said, “I know.”

“I―you what?” Diana blurted.

Gaius turned, folding his arms as he leaned against the wall beside the fireplace. He regarded her for a moment longer, and Diana was surprised to find that for once, he wasn’t amused or calculating when he looked at her. He seemed… thoughtful.

“I said I know. I know you can handle yourself,” he reiterated, speaking slowly, deliberately. “You expected me to mock you, I can tell. But that wasn’t my intention, Diana. But it is… rare, isn’t it? For one of you lot to go off alone?”

“It was how I wanted it,” Diana shrugged, keeping her voice carefully even as she gauged Gaius’s reaction. If he was curious about what that meant, he didn’t let it show.

Instead, he simply nodded and seated himself in one of the leather armchairs by the fire. “I know what you are capable of. I haven’t forgotten.”

“You shouldn’t,” Diana said, although she didn’t know why. There was no menace behind her words. No reason for it. Gaius wasn’t here to fight her, she knew. He was no longer the man she feared, the man who had been her enemy. But old habits died hard she supposed.

Gaius hummed as he hunched forward, elbows on his knees, hands interlaced before him as he searched her face. For what, Diana didn’t know. His pose was so relaxed, far from the stiff, proud posture he once held.

“I haven’t forgotten either, Diana,” Gaius began, eyes finally falling away to his hands, “my promise to you.”

Diana let a slow breath, her heartbeat suddenly loud in her own ears. All those years she had dared to hope…

It had not been for nothing.

Gaius sat there, eyes downcast, wringing his hands. Was he… nervous?

“I know I can’t undo what I have done. And I know twenty years is not enough to atone,” he said softly. “I am not looking for praise or approval. I know I don’t deserve that. But I just need you to know. I am not wasting this second chance you’ve given me. You did not spare me for nothing.”

Diana stood and crossed the room. Gaius’s eyes followed her as she went, but quickly fell to his hands again as she sat in the chair across from her. For a moment, she was reminded of herself as a child, of how she used to extend that helping hand to her mother on bad days, hoping for acceptance while fearing rejection. How long had Gaius been alone, trying to atone, hoping that the one person who had faith in him hadn’t given up? 

“I promised you I would do you proud,” Gaius continued, shadows flickering across his face. “I will never forget that.”

Diana reached out slowly, laying her hand over his as she whispered, “I knew you wouldn’t.”

He looked up, blue eyes searching hers and Diana almost gasped out loud from the relief she felt pouring off of him in waves. The sheer amount of gratitude. All of it, strangely, for her.

She didn’t know what to make of that.

After a moment, she withdrew her hand and leaned back, disentangling herself from all of his emotions now that skin-to-skin content had been broken. She could still feel some of it, echoes of his presence, but at least it was somewhat muted. Odd, that she could feel any of Gaius’s emotions at all, especially so acutely. She knew that he had some small affinity for psychic power, enough to shield himself. So why…?

Curious, she shifted the conversation, distracting Gaius as she sent out minuscule tendrils of power, just enough to probe his mental shields, but slight enough to avoid detection. “How did you find me here?”

Gaius scoffed, straightening, a bit of his usual self shining through once again. “You were hard to miss, Diana.”

“What do you mean?” She frowned, brushing against the fortified walls of his mind, solid and impenetrable. She supposed that was wise of him, to keep his mind guarded in her presence, all things considered. Although that didn’t explain why she could sense his emotions as if they were her own.

He leveled her with a cool gaze and she felt rather than heard his sardonic amusement. “You’re like a beacon, Diana. I was a good couple of miles away when I felt you out of nowhere, burning like a wildfire on the horizon. I have only felt that sort of power once before, in you,” he shook his head. “So I came running. But surely you didn’t need all of that to fend off two measly vampires.” She sensed the implication in his voice and frowned.

“I…” Diana trailed off, remembering the talisman she had come here for. She glanced down, withdrawing the bundle of fabric from the inside of her coat. Its presence was dim now. Slumbering. Carefully, she unwrapped it.

“What is that?” Gaius watched her intently, eyes flicking from the item in her hand as he gauged her reaction.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, turning it into the firelight. “I… I dreamt of this. Weeks ago.”

“That’s why you’re here.”

“For this and other things,” Diana murmured, frowning at the talisman. It bothered her that she still couldn’t identify its purpose. It had to do more than flash every now and then, right? She glanced up at him, momentarily considering just how much to tell him. “When I found it, it was as if it were calling to me.”

“And then what? You touched it?” Gaius huffed, then seeing her expression, pursed his lips. “...Of course you did.”

“I’m sorry, weren’t  _ you _ the one who  _ wanted _ me to go around touching random, powerful things to see if I was the Bloodkeeper?” Diana snapped, pocketing the talisman with a huff.

Gaius merely rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. Typical.

“Anyways,” Diana continued, taking a deep breath to soothe herself. “My power reacted when I did. Beyond my control.” She clenched her fist against her thigh, recalling the way it had torn free of her body. “I don’t think it went anywhere. Just a burst of energy and the gemstone flared for a second. That’s what you must have sensed.”

“Must have been,” Gaius echoed, expression unreadable. They sat in silence for a while longer, each of them left alone to their thoughts, conversation evidently over. After a few minutes had passed, Diana fidgeted in her chair, glancing from the fire to Gaius, who seemed to be perfectly unaware of oppressive air in the room.

Now, what were they supposed to do?

Gaius wasn’t her friend, but he wasn’t her enemy anymore either. Diana didn’t know what he was to her anymore, or what she was to him. She didn’t know what to call someone whose life had been in her hands twice before. She had decided his fate more than twenty years ago and given him a second chance to atone. Whatever that made them, Diana didn’t quite feel right telling him to leave, although she didn’t know if that meant she wanted him to stay.

Diana cleared her throat, about to ask him what he planned to do next and if he had a place to stay when Gaius got to his feet, crossing to the window that overlooked the town of Aosta below. Diana watched as he studied the streets and buildings beyond, his silhouette limned in the moonlight. She noticed, with some relief, that the only emotions she felt now were once again her own. She wasn’t entirely sure why their consciousnesses had merged like that, although she admitted it would have been nice to know what he was thinking at that moment. When Gaius spoke, his voice was calm and steady, like a general laying out a plan. 

“More will come looking for you, Diana. I imagine that the Daughters of Rheya you encountered and I were not the only ones who felt your power. ” He turned to face her, hands clasped behind his back. “It would probably be in your best interest to leave as soon as possible.”

Diana nodded slowly, glancing over at the digital clock that sat upon the nightstand. It was just a few short hours until dawn. She supposed she could leave at any point during the day, since sunlight did not have the debilitating effects on her that it did on other vampires. But she had grown used to the graveyard shift with her friends at home and was surprisingly tired, both from the long plane ride she had taken earlier that day and the amount of power she expended tonight.

As if Gaius had heard her thoughts, he added, “I can stay and keep watch while you rest and make the proper travel arrangements. And then I will continue on my way.”

_ Continue on my way. _

Diana tilted her head at that, an idea coming together. Whether it was a good idea, she wasn’t quite sure. “Where will you go?”

Gaius shrugged, glancing out the window. “I don’t know. Wherever I am needed.”

“So you just… wander? Until you find someone who needs rescuing?” 

He huffed, brow quirking, “It’s surprisingly effective. But yes, I suppose I  _ wander _ until I come across someone in need of help or hear of places where I could be useful.”

She nodded, contemplating this new information. For twenty-two years Gaius had roamed alone protecting humanity. And she had never heard a word of it.

“What if...” Diana began, watching Gaius closely to study his reaction. “What if you came with me? I have quite a bit of wandering to do myself. I’m sure you can find some humans to save along the way.”

Gaius simply blinked at her as if he couldn’t believe what she had just said. Diana wasn’t even sure if she had really just proposed the idea either. It was absurd, honestly. The idea of her and Gaius traveling around Europe together, all because of one chance encounter―

“You’re asking me to come with you.” Not quite a question.

“Yes,” Diana answered without hesitation. Then she added, “I don’t know what lies ahead of me. It wouldn’t help to have some backup or someone who knows Europe and its history better than I do.”

Gaius stood there silently, mulling this over. His gaze was intense, unrelenting as he studied her, weighing her words and searching for any hint of insincerity in them. Seemingly satisfied by whatever he had worked out, Gaius let out a long breath, jaw set in resolution. Then, he dipped his chin, ever so slightly. “Alright.”

“Like, ‘alright,’ you’ll come with me?” Diana reiterated, eyebrows raised. She realized that she had been the one to invite him along, but she hadn’t anticipated that he would actually say yes or what to do if he did.

“Yes. I’ll accompany you on… whatever it is that you think you are doing.” He sighed as if in anticipation of the trials that were to come. “Something tells me that wherever you go, trouble will follow.”

Diana’s lip quirked up. “Which is why this is an excellent proposition for you.”

Gaius merely sighed again. When he wasn’t looking, Diana smiled.


	4. Chapter 3: Common Ground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While traveling to Rome, Diana learns about Gaius’s life alone in Europe and is forced to confront the weight of her decisions.

_**Somewhere in Northern Italy, 2042** _

The following evening, Diana sat with her arms folded across her chest, nestled in her oversized coat as she slouched in her seat, feet propped up on the seat across from her as the sparsely populated train car gently swayed from side to side. Gaius sat opposite her, looking perfectly normal as he gazed out at the Italian countryside that passed through the window in a dark blur. Their weapons sat in a nondescript black sports bag, one typically used for baseball bats, beneath his seat.

It was still bizarre, seeing Gaius in the modern world. Diana realized that most of her memories of Gaius were not her own but those that she had gathered as the Bloodkeeper and all of those visions had taken place long before her time. Whatever personal memories she had of Gaius usually involved fighting for her life, so there was never time to note just how out of place he was. 

“Stop that,” he huffed, not turning away from the window.

“Stop what?”

“Staring.” Gaius rolled his eyes, directing his attention to her at last, gaze cool. “Weren’t you the one who said it was rude?”

Diana frowned, shifting in her seat. “Sorry. It’s just… weird. Seeing you here.”

“Perhaps you should have considered that before proposing I come along with you,” Gaius scowled, turning back to the window, slouching down in his seat and folding his arms. If Diana didn’t know better, she would have assumed he was pouting.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” she amended, brow furrowing as she tried to find the words to explain it properly. “I meant that it’s weird to see you―”

“In pants?” Gaius supplied, eyebrow lifting.

“...Essentially, yeah.” Diana shrugged, pursing her lips and glancing around. Although no one seemed to be paying them even the slightest bit of attention, she lowered her voice, so that only he could hear. “Gaius, so many of my memories of you are the ones I saw in fragments. Decades before I was even born.”

“Is this your way of calling me old, Diana?” His tone was flat, but Diana noticed the way his lip quirked ever so slightly. He was _ teasing _ her.

“You said it, not me,” she said innocently, before shaking her head, serious once more. “But you know what I mean.”

He hummed. “I suppose I do. But if I’ve learned anything over the course of my arduous existence, it is how to adapt to the changing times. Just like Kamilah and your Adrian. Just as you will continue to do.”

_ Just like Kamilah and your Adrian. _

Diana winced but didn’t bother to correct him. 

She directed her gaze to the window, but instead of a moonlit countryside, she only saw shadows and her own reflection.

“What’s it like?” Diana asked, setting her feet on the floor and sliding into the seat next to her so that she sat directly in front of Gaius, nestled against the wall of the train. “Rome?”

“Never been?” Gaius faced her fully now, their knees just barely touching.

“No,” Diana sighed wistfully. “I thought one of the pros of being a vampire was having an eternity to do whatever you want, but I’ve never had the time. It seems that I only get to travel when I’m on some sort of mission or running for my life.”

There it was again, that nearly imperceptible quirk of his lips. Good to know he could appreciate the irony as well.

“I have… fond memories of Rome,” Gaius admitted. “I spent quite a bit of time there in the early years after I was Turned. I watched it become an empire, watched it fall. I went back a while ago; a lot has changed, but you would be surprised how much is still the same. There is a lot of supernatural activity there―vampires, werewolves, and the like.”

“Wouldn’t it be smarter to go  _ away  _ from hotspots like that?”

“That logic is the exact reason why we are going. If someone is searching for you, say the Daughters of Rheya, they should expect you to steer clear of populated areas. As long as you conceal yourself,” Gaius said with a very pointed look, “it should be a perfect place to lie low until you figure out where we’re going next. And there should be plenty of activity for me to keep tabs on.”

“What, like, vampire attacks on humans? Werewolf and vampire territory wars?”

Gaius scoffed, rolling his eyes. “No. Well, occasionally, that first part. But all sorts of creatures, minor but still troublesome, occupy the city. I try to visit every few years to make sure they don’t get out of hand.”

Diana nodded to herself, tucking this information aside. Rome was heavily populated with vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural beings. Gaius made rounds across Europe, single-handedly watching over an entire continent. She supposed that after nearly twenty-five years of seeing the impossible, none of this should have surprised her. And yet, she couldn’t help but feel as if there was so much she didn’t know, so much of the world she had neglected to see while she was content in New York. Diana frowned; there was one more thing…

“Were you alone this whole time?” Diana asked. She couldn’t imagine wandering around for twenty years, much less on her own.

Gaius simply said, “Yes.”

Her frown deepened. “Didn’t you ever get lonely?”

He fixed her with an odd look as if he either didn’t understand how the question was relevant or why she cared to ask. “There was not a second that went by that I didn’t feel alone, Diana. But what can I do? There was no one I could ask to accompany me, no one I  _ would _ have asked to do so.”

“Why?” Diana shook her head. “There weren’t any other vampires that wanted to join you?

Gaius pursed his lips as if something about what she suggested was distasteful. “People want stability, humans and vampires alike. They want safety. Most would not consider traveling around Europe in search of murderous beasts to provide either of those things.”

“Then couldn’t you have done something else? Something where you didn’t have to be alone all of the time?” Diana asked. When she had sentenced him to live, she had not given him specific instructions on how to do so. She hadn’t even allowed him to live on the condition that he atone but merely given him the chance to do so.

Gaius’s gaze suddenly went flat, his face a stoic mask. When he spoke, his voice was carefully neutral, devoid of emotion. “With or without Rheya, I am a killer. Do not be mistaken. At least now, I can try to kill the right monsters this time, if it will provide protection to those who need it along the way. I would not subject anyone else to that sort of life with me. So if loneliness is part of the price I must pay in order to atone, then so be it.”

A chill ran down her spine at that. While his expression, seemingly impartial and aloof, reminded her so much of the Gaius of the past, his words were a far cry from who he used to be. It was this difference, more than anything, that unnerved her the most. Perhaps removing Rheya’s influence on him had broken Gaius more than she had thought.

Despite everything, she couldn’t help but feel some compassion for the man across from her. It occurred to her briefly that this could have been part of some scheme, that he was playing up his guilt to deceive her. But for what? The threats to both humans and vampires had gone, and if it came down to a fight, Diana knew how to win. Nevertheless, she could feel his remorse as clear if it were her own. Without even touching his mind, she could sense that he was telling the truth.

“You’re more than just a killer, Gaius,” she said softly, studying his countenance. “Fighting might be what you are good at, but it’s not the only thing you have to do. I think… I think you owe it to yourself to find out what else is out there for you.”

Gaius stared at her, brows drawn together and lips pulled down into a frown. He shook his head and Diana realized that this was the most honest they had ever been for each other. Willingly, at least.

“I don’t understand you,” Gaius confessed after a long moment had passed. “You gave me a second chance on the basis that I would have the chance to atone. That rather than face death, I would face the truth of what I have done. And now that I have, you seem uncomfortable with the notion of it.” He leaned forward, gaze intense and searching, although Diana noticed that she found nothing menacing about this gesture as might have before. “Tell me, Diana. You know who I am and what I have done. You set me off to do some good in the world. Do you not think me deserving of punishment along the way?”

Diana opened her mouth to respond, but paused, realizing she didn’t know what to say to that. There had been times, even within the last twenty years when she had seen some of the lasting effects of Gaius’s misguided ambition, and in her anger, had momentarily wished she had made him suffer just a little bit more.

“I don’t know,” she breathed, surprised that her answer was more complicated than it should have been. Diana sighed and set her forehead against the window, watching the lights of a nearby station grow steadily closer. “Truthfully, sometimes I think I should have punished you somehow. But there’s another part of me that thinks you have already suffered enough.”

When she glanced over at him once more, Gaius was no longer looking at her, but at some distant point inside the train, although she could tell that he wasn’t  _ really _ seeing. His eyes were distant, lost to some memory she was not privy to.

Diana closed her eyes, suddenly exhausted, mentally and physically. Why did every conversation with Gaius have to be so… taxing? Beyond that, it had been a while since she last fed. Even if she didn’t need blood as often as the average vampire, it still helped keep up her strength, and she didn’t think it would be exactly appropriate to pull out one of her blood packs in public.

“When was the last time you fed?” Gaius murmured and Diana opened her eyes with a start, slightly unnerved that she had just been wondering the same thing.

“I had a blood pack on Adrian’s plane about a day ago,” she shrugged.

“So you do still need it. Blood,” Gaius observed, giving her a look of appraisal. “Rheya fed regularly with me and Xeno, but in your memory, she made it sound as if she only needed it to gain power.”

“I can go without it, but it doesn’t exactly feel great.”

“Hmm.” Gaius hummed, eyes roaming to the sparkling lights visible through the window. “I recognize this town. When the train stops, we’ll have about an hour to find something. Does that work for you?”

Diana licked her lips, running her tongue along the sharp points of her incisors. “Perfect.”

* * *

The moment they were a safe distance away from the train station, Diana unshouldered her pack and unzipped it, searching for a blood pack when she felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

“Not that,” Gaius said, wrinkling his nose in distaste. “I know where we can find something better.”

They were stopped in a rural farming town, surrounded by pastures and rolling hills. Diana followed Gaius down a nondescript country road, their path lit only by the moon overhead. She scrunched up her nose; mixed in with the scent of fresh grass and dew was the unpleasant tang of fertilizer.

“Where are we going?” Diana asked, glancing around. All of the houses were behind them; only farms lay ahead.

Gaius shifted the sports bag that held their swords from his shoulder to hang across his back and shrugged. “You’ll see.”

Before long, Gaius suddenly turned off the road and heaved himself over an old wooden fence, landing in the field on the other side. Hesitantly, Diana followed, taking Gaius’s offered hand as she climbed over the post, although she was quick to drop it once she landed, mud squelching under her boots.

“Gaius, what―”

“Patience,” he murmured, leading her away from the road and up a hill, seeming to have no trouble with the muddy ground that was sucking Diana’s feet down. Diana was relieved when the ground became more solidified near the top of the hill, although her spirits quickly dropped when she heard it. The reason they were here.

“Oh no, you are  _ not _ serious.”

“It’s better than those sacks of blood,” Gaius quipped, and although she couldn’t see him clearly in the dark, she had a feeling he was rolling his eyes at her. Diana sighed as he continued on to the other side of the hill where familiar shapes roamed.

_ Cows. _

Diana swore but followed anyway. Fresh blood, no matter where it came from, had to be better than the packs.

“You do this often?” she huffed as they stopped beside one of the hulking animals. It seemed to pay them no mind, nonchalantly grazing, its tail swishing in the breeze.

“It’s not often that I find random humans that are willing to let me feed on them, especially when I’m in the middle of nowhere,” Gaius shrugged, reaching out and trailing his hand along the cow’s wide neck. 

Despite her misgivings, Diana felt her fangs dig into her bottom lip, ears immediately picking up the animal’s powerful heartbeat, the blood rushing through its veins. Stepping forward and resting her hand against the cow’s flank, she looked to Gaius. “Will it… mind?”

Gaius scoffed. “If you’re asking me if the cow consents, you don’t need to worry. We’re barely more than pests to it. She’ll just be tired afterward, that’s all.”

Diana swallowed, petting the cow’s hide as if she could apologize for what they were about to do. “If you say so,” she mumbled, and then sank her fangs into its neck. On the other side, Gaius did the same, the cow merely grunting in surprise. Diana was pleased to find that its blood tasted pretty much the same as a human’s aside for the slightly bitter taste of dirt from its hide. She drank deeply, feeling strength return to her bones, the familiar tingle of her power once again awakening beneath her skin.

A minute or so later, she pulled back with a gasp, hunger thoroughly sated. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she stepped back unsteadily, nearly overwhelmed with how refreshed she felt as she pricked her finger and sealed the puncture wounds she had left.

“Better?” Gaius was standing beside her, watching her curiously. She hadn’t noticed when he had finished feeding or when he had come so close. 

“Yeah,” she breathed, running a self-conscious hand through her hair before settling her hands on her hips. “That was…”

“Filling?” he supplied.

“ _ Humbling _ .”

Gaius smirked, exhaling a small huff through his nose. Diana supposed it was the closest she could possibly come to ever seeing him laugh.

Before she could truly come to appreciate this odd moment of camaraderie, simple as it was, Gaius’s face fell, lips tightening into a grim line. He swung the long black sports bag over his shoulder and withdrew his  _ gladius _ , its sharp edge glinting in the moonlight.

“Gaius, what―” Diana started as she turned around, following his gaze. Her mouth dropped open, heart seizing in her chest. “ _ What the hell is that _ ?”

Barely discernible against the dark sky was a large black figure, vaguely shaped into the form of a dog. Tendrils of night wicked off its edges, as if it were made from shadow and darkness itself. Diana would have thought what she was seeing was merely a trick of the light, her mind simply seeing danger where there was none, if it hadn’t been for its  _ eyes _ . White, glowing orbs burned at the center of the darkness like twin flames of heavenly fire. And they were staring right at her. 

Diana took a cautious step back, snatching the bag from Gaius and retrieving her own sword. “Gaius?”

“It’s a Black Shuck,” he said quietly, deathly still and eyes trained on the dog as it remained approximately twenty feet away, unmoving. He held his sword out in front of them with one hand, the other stretched out before her, the gesture almost protective. 

“Okay,” Diana nodded, glancing once more at the figure. “But what  _ is _ it?”

“It’s a sort of spectral hound,” Gaius supplied as he studied the dog, expression focused. Calculating. “Shucks are said to be malicious omens of death, although there are many accounts of them being companionable creatures, especially to maidens and lost travelers. Some are more helpful than threatening. But they’re native to East Anglia… This one is either lost, or it’s here for a reason.”

“So what kind of Shuck is this?” she breathed. “The good or the bad?”

“That remains to be seen.”

“Wonderful,” Diana said, her voice flat as she gave in to her instincts, readjusting her grip on her sword. She willed her heartbeat to slow, settling into that killing calm. She’d fought plenty of monsters before and come out on top. She would do it again if she had to. She was one of the most powerful beings to ever walk the earth. She would not die in some random pasture because of some  _ dog _ .

Gaius’s concentration broke and he glanced over at Diana, as if sensing the change in her demeanor. If Diana had been paying attention, she would have seen the range of expressions that flurried across his countenance. Surprise, confusion, recognition, fear, and concern. It passed like a shadow, leaving only traces behind as Gaius focused once again on the creature before them.

He took a step back, the arm he extended before Diana encouraging her to do the same. “Slowly, now, Diana. If we can leave without a fight, no one has to get hurt―”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the Black Shuck’s gaze shifted from Diana to Gaius, and it snarled, crouching down as if ready to attack. Diana cast her senses out but could find no trace of the Black Shuck’s presence. There was no power, no energy, no mind or life force for her to control.

“Gaius,” she murmured, voice eerily calm. “I don’t think we’re getting out of here without a fight.”

Diana let out a long breath and held her sword out before her, sensing all of the life forms around her, the cows grazing nearby, the creatures that burrowed into the ground beneath her, and Gaius, a pillar of strength and stability beside her. She heard the crunch of hard-packed earth underfoot and felt the air shift, the tension  _ snap _ , as the Black Shuck snarled and lunged.

Diana shifted her stance, digging her feet into the ground as she brought her sword up in preparation for a devastating blow when she was suddenly thrust to the side. She stumbled, arm falling to the side, sword missing its target as the Shuck rushed by her in a dark blur and launched itself at Gaius.

Diana barely turned in time to see Gaius toss his blade to the side and throw his arms up, burrowing his hands into the shadowy, shifting fur of the hound. As the Shuck barreled into him, Gaius spun with it, hurling both himself and the beast away from Diana in a tangle of shadow, fangs, and claws.

“Gaius!” Diana shouted, snatching his  _ gladius _ from where it had fallen in the tall grass.  _ What the hell was he doing? _ She ran down the hill where Gaius and the Black Shuck had tumbled away. 

“Diana,  _ don’t _ !” Gaius’s voice came from amidst the shadows and she felt a wave of his presence wash over her, a manifestation of his insistence. “It’s trying to  _ protect you _ .”

Diana didn’t have time to process what that meant, how it was possible that Gaius had exerted some sort of psychic will over her as she raced towards the fight, two vicious shadows in the night. As soon as she was within a few feet of Gaius and Black Shuck, she paused, locating Gaius in the fray. He was bloodied and flagging. That creature never should have gotten a single blow on him, unless Gaius  _ let it _ .

Diana faltered. Gaius was  _ letting _ the fight go on. She watched for a moment, noting how he was pulling his punches, doing just enough to project himself and fend off the hound, but careful not to actually inflict serious harm. But  _ why _ ?

The Shuck lashed out, gnashing its teeth mere inches from Gaius’s neck and Diana snapped out of her thoughts. She grit her teeth and closed her eyes. If Gaius wasn’t going to end this, she would. Diana reached out with her power and found Gaius’s presence. She could sense his pounding heartbeat, the blood rushing in his veins. She used this, anchoring her power to his body, and  _ yanked _ .

Gaius came tumbling away, crashing to the ground at her feet with a grunt. His eyes widened as he pushed himself to his elbows, reaching out towards Diana. “No!”

She ignored him, calmly striding towards the Black Shuck, which now faced her, silver eyes flaring. It did not waver, staring her down as she approached. Diana gripped the swords in her hands, both hers and Gaius’s as she towered over the shadow beast, blood singing with the anticipation of another threat neutralized. The Black Shuck snarled once, then backed away, whimpering.

Something inside of Diana delighted in the sound and snarled,  _ Good _ .

She raised both of the swords above the creature, prepared to put the dark dog down.

“Diana!” 

She glanced over her shoulder, prepared to tell Gaius to just _ be quiet _ ―

And then she wasn’t in her body. She was on the ground, watching herself from behind, a hand that wasn’t hers outstretched before her. Diana saw herself through Gaius’s eyes, saw her rigid posture, locked in an executioner’s stance, two swords of different makes and eras gleaming silver in the moonlight. She saw her own face, blank and perfectly impassive, dark eyes staring back at her. There was no rage, no fear. Only detached indifference.

Diana came back to her body with a gasp, legs weak beneath her. She once again saw Gaius over her shoulder, his expression alarmed, as if he had sensed her mind merge with his too. Diana tore her gaze from his, once again facing the cowering shadow hound before her. All around her, she felt fear. From the Black Shuck, from Gaius, from  _ herself _ .

She lowered the swords in her hands, breathing hard. The Black Shuck’s ghostly gaze met hers and she finally sensed its presence, sensed its will. This was not a malicious creature. She felt its intentions, its desire to help and protect. 

It had come to protect her.

Before Diana could do anything, the Black Shuck disappeared, dissipating into shadows and wisps of darkness.

“Why?” she asked, her voice faraway in her own ears. “Why did it want to protect me from you?”

“It seems that even mythical dogs know what I have done. It must have thought I was a threat to you. Shucks tend to have a soft spot for wandering women,” Gaius huffed, but Diana had stopped paying attention. 

Diana collapsed to her knees, blades falling to the ground, forgotten. She had been prepared to kill the Black Shuck in cold blood. Even before she had sensed its truth, it had backed down, unwilling to fight her. And Gaius had urged her not to get involved.

She had lost herself, given into warped instincts and the power in her veins. She had become… detached. 

Diana frowned, eyes falling to the ground. Was this how it began? How power set her apart from everyone else? Not all at once, through pain and anger like it had for Rheya or Gaius, but slowly, as she gradually lost touch with the things that kept her grounded. As she gave pieces of herself away, bit by bit to the immense power at her disposal. Was this why she had started having those dreams about the artifacts? Why she had wanted to go alone to Europe? Why… why she and Adrian had grown apart?

_ You’re different,  _ Gaius had said. He had known right away.

She heard grass crunch underfoot behind her and turned around, hands shaking in her lap. 

“Come on, Bloodkeeper,” Gaius said softly as he stood over her, expression surprisingly tender as he extended his hand. “You’re okay. Let’s get back on that train.” 

Diana closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to center herself. She would not lose herself. She had made the right decision before, had resisted the temptation to give in to power. She would do it again. Diana looked up at the night sky, the stars twinkling overhead, and nodded. She took his hand, gathering the fallen swords with the other. “Let’s go.”

Gently, Gaius took the blades from her grasp and set them back in the bag, slinging it across his back. They walked together, side by side, back to the train station, and Diana tried hard not to think about how for the first time in years, she was afraid.


	5. Chapter 4: Hunters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana and Gaius go hunting in Rome for monsters and answers.

_**Rome, Italy, 2042** _

Several nights later, Diana sat alone, hunched over a desk in a grand hotel suite, her bedroom lit only by a small desk lamp and the glow of her computer screen. She rubbed her eyes, her screen coming in and out of focus as she read the same paragraph for the fifth time.

_The city of Rome is home to many ancient artifacts, many dating as far back as the Period of Kings. A number of relics had been discovered during the construction of the underground Subway in 1955. Some architects claim that there is still more history to be found beneath the city’s foundations, although excavation projects would uproot many homes and businesses, as well as test the limits of existing infrastructure. It is evident that whatever secrets lay beneath the earth will have to stay hidden._

Diana glanced at her notebook, spread open to the pages on which she had written everything she could remember about the newest artifact that had appeared in her dreams. It was a double-handled, lidded amphora, made of red ceramic and decorated with black paint that had flaked and cracked with age. Depicted on the side was a scene that appeared to be a sort of burial ritual. Five men dressed in finery and crowned in wreaths of woven laurel surrounded some sort of raised structure; upon it lay another man whose face was covered by a mask of gold foil, not unlike the one Gaius wore after being freed of the Onyx Sarcophagus. 

Dozens of tabs were open in numerous windows from her attempts to cross-reference the amphora in Diana’s dreams with all of the known recovered artifacts, of both public and private ownership, but so far, none of them had matched or even held any clue as to where it was hidden. Although she had dreamed of this object several times before, it appeared now with increasing frequency ever since the morning they arrived in Rome a little over a week ago, so Diana took that as a sign it was located somewhere in the city. It certainly looked Roman and when she showed her sketch of it to Gaius, he agreed. She figured who better to trust than the man who actually lived while amphoras were in style?

Diana groaned, combing her hands in her hair and leaning back in her chair as she tried not to think about how if Lily were here, they already would have figured it out.

God, she missed Lily. She missed home.

Diana pushed away from the table, shaking her head. Best not to go down that path right now. She had come to Europe to get some space, to think things through on her own, and to find these damn artifacts. She was going to see this through, and the best way to do it was to focus. She stood, snatching her long coat and sword as she left her bedroom and crossed the main living space to where Gaius lingered, preparing to head out for the night in search of trouble.

“I can’t do this anymore,” Diana said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “If I stare at that screen any longer, my brain will melt.”

Gaius huffed, glancing over his shoulder at her as he clipped his scabbard to his belt. Now that it was dark and fewer people were roaming about, he didn’t need the sports bag to conceal it. “I highly doubt that.”

“I’m coming with you tonight,” Diana stated, strapping her katana across her back and shoving her feet into her shoes.

“No.” He didn’t even bother to turn around, retrieving his jacket from the closet by the door.

Diana lowered her brows, gripping the door frame as she struggled to get her heel in her boot. “Why not?”

“Because I don’t need any help,” Gaius answered into the closet. “And someone might recognize you.”

“You’re just as recognizable as I am,” she countered with a scowl. “Besides,” Diana added, pulling her hood up over her head. “You can’t even tell who I am like this.”

Gaius spared a glance in her direction and rolled his eyes, tugging on his coat and closing the door with his elbow. “Yes, you can. You’re not coming with me.”

“Okay, well I’m not asking.” Diana brushed past him, blocking the front door and resting her hand on the handle. “I’m not learning anything by staying in here researching. And waiting for visions that clearly aren’t coming. If I go out, maybe I’ll pick up on something. A feeling, a clue.”

Gaius strode up to her, arms folded. “No.”

“Then I’ll go out on my own and search by myself,” Diana decided, tilting her chin up defiantly as she tugged the door open.

Gaius scoffed. “Go ahead. I don’t care. But if you get into trouble, that’s your problem.”

_Really._

“Alright,” Diana shrugged, slipping out of the room and into the hallway. “I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

She walked off down the ornately furnished hall towards the elevator, her feet near silent on the plush carpet. Diana had just pressed the call button when she heard a soft swear and the door to her suite swing shut. The elevator doors opened with a _ding!_ and Diana fought to hide her smirk as she strode inside and turned, leaning against the back wall with her arms casually folded. 

As the doors began to slide shut, a hand slammed against them and Gaius stepped through, scowling at her. “Fine.”

Diana blinked innocently up at him, then reached around his waist to press the button for the first floor. “What?”

“You can come with me,” Gaius huffed, exasperated as he looked down at her. “But no blasts of psychic energy and no touching random things. No touching random things to _emit_ blasts of psychic energy, either.”

“I can do that,” Diana nodded, clasping her hands together and resting them on her thighs, the perfect picture of obedience, a soldier listening to commands.

Gaius eyed her for a long moment before sighing deeply. He closed his eyes, leaning his back against the elevator wall. “You are so tiresome, do you realize that? How Kamilah managed to put up with you for twenty years, I do not know.”

“It took a while for her to warm up to me,” Diana supplied, fiddling with the strap of her sword as she watched the numbers on the elevator’s digital display go down as they descended towards the ground floor of the hotel. “But I will always be grateful that she did.”

“Mm.” Gaius merely nodded, eyes distant but thoughtful, staring absently at some point on the chrome surface of the elevator door. Diana could just make out their muddled forms in the reflective surface, a blur of dark colors, barely an impression of the people it sought to represent.

“Do you miss her?” Diana asked delicately, carefully studying his face for any hint as to what he was thinking. “Kamilah, I mean.”

Gaius’s brows pulled together as he glanced over at her, opening his mouth to speak but pausing in hesitation. The look that passed between them only lasted for a split second, but for a moment, Diana thought he looked sad. Unfathomably, irrevocably sad.

Then the elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open with an automated _ding!_ Gaius blinked, composing his face into a mask of neutrality once more as he shook his head and left the elevator. Diana followed him out of the hotel lobby, glancing over at the front desk which sat unoccupied, a single silver bell gleaming on the counter.

“Yes and no,” Gaius said at last once they emerged outside onto a dimly lit street. Beautiful buildings rose all around them, adorned with ornate statues and vaulted windows. Diana tore her gaze from the wonders around her, fixing her gaze on Gaius’s profile.

“What do you mean?”

Gaius glanced at her sidelong for a moment, then upon seeing she was watching him, stiffly looked ahead. “I mean that of course, I miss Kamilah. I was with her for two-thousand years.” The corners of his lips turned down ever so slightly, his eyes troubled. “Despite everything Rheya did to me, that was real at least. My love for her was real. _Is_ real.”

“But?” Diana prompted, sensing there was more that he still wanted to say.

“But,” he continued, rolling his eyes at her prodding. “Do I miss the old days, when we were together?” Gaius sighed, pausing as they came to a crossroads. He glanced up and down the street before them, searching for any signs of distress. Finding none, he continued straight and picked up the conversation before Diana could urge him further. “No. I don’t miss that. How can I, knowing how much pain I have caused her? Knowing how much she regrets those years? How much she despises the woman she had been when she was with me?”

“But not all of it was bad, right?” Diana’s brows drew together as she recalled some of the memories she had seen with her Bloodkeeper abilities. “There were happy times, without anyone manipulating the other. There were parts of you―good parts of you―that she truly loved.”

“Do not patronize me, Diana,” Gaius snapped, though there was no malice behind his words. “Regardless of its nature, our relationship is in the past. And it will stay there. I do no not want it back, for both of our sakes.”

Diana frowned but nodded. That was fair. Kamilah was one of her dearest friends and she would hate to see her get hurt, regardless of how much Gaius had changed.

“Thank you,” she said after long moment had passed. Gaius lifted an eyebrow at her, the corners of his mouth tight. Diana added, “For being honest with me.”

Gaius looked away, expression unreadable. “I figure there’s no use hiding anything from you. You can take what you want anyways.”

“I―” Diana halted, brows furrowed. “Gaius, I…” She pursed her lips, shaking her head. She felt cold all over, as if she had been plunged into a frozen lake. Did he really think so lowly of her? “I wouldn’t do that to you. I don’t… do that. I’m not Rheya.”

Gaius paused and turned to face her. Upon seeing her face, his expression softened slightly, regret and shame flickering in his eyes, just for a second. “No. You aren’t.”

He took a step towards her, arm raised as if to reach out for her before thinking better of it. Gaius’s hand fell uselessly to his side as he shook his head. His voice was the gentlest she’d ever heard it. “You’re the farthest thing from her, Diana. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Diana swallowed the lump in her throat and glanced away. “No, you shouldn’t have.”

She could feel Gaius’s gaze on her as she continued walking, her eyes pointedly fixed on some point in the distance. Once she had reached him he continued on, leading them through the city of Rome in silence.

She couldn’t explain why his opinion of her had suddenly mattered to her so much. Why the notion of her being someone Gaius could fear made her so, incredibly sad.

* * *

It was a little past midnight when Diana felt something.

She and Gaius were fighting off two Ferals in some dingy alleyway not far from the River Tiber, although Diana wasn’t really sure she could consider this encounter a fight. It was an execution. She knew Gaius would never admit it, but the two of them made a formidable pair. Twin whirlwinds of death and steel, they made quick work of any trouble they encountered, from rogue werewolves, to Ferals, to European imps that Diana considered to be more a nuisance than a threat.

Diana had just staked her Feral through the heart, blood singing with adrenaline and the thrill of the fight when she felt a tingling at the base of her scalp that quickly spread, overriding her senses. She drew in a sharp breath, “ _Gaius_.”

Then she was engulfed in another vision. She was no longer aware of the comforting weight of her sword in her hand or the gentle breeze that stirred the falling ash around her as she glimpsed a familiar landmark, a circular arena, a shadowy tunnel, and then a decrepit corridor leading to a long-forgotten chamber. Within was a rectangular-shaped stone platform, and on it―

“ _The amphora!_ ” Diana gasped as she was thrown from the vision. She was back in the alley, breathing hard as if she had been underwater for too long. She had never experienced a vision so strong and visceral without a needing physical trigger or sleeping.

“ _Diana_.”

She came to her senses, finally seeing the concern in the pale blue eyes before her, registering the hand gripping her shoulder and the gentler one cradling her cheek. Gaius.

Seeing the clarity in her eyes again, Gaius drew back, hastily releasing her arm and dropping his hand from her face as if touching her had scalded him. “What was that? A vision?”

“Yes, I…” she blinked, trying to clear her head. That was more disorienting than usual. “I saw the amphora. It’s here.”

“That’s vague,” Gaius rolled his eyes. “Here _where_? This cursed alley?”

But Diana was already moving, letting her instincts guide her. Despite the hazy nature of her vision, she had this indescribable feeling in her gut, like she knew exactly where to go. She left the alley, making an immediate right, chasing the feeling she had before it could slip away.

“Diana!” Behind her, Gaius hissed, “ _Damn it_.”

She kept going, reassured by the sound of his footsteps not far behind. She made several turns, quickening her pace as the feeling in her gut grew stronger until she was running, Gaius right behind her, scowling and muttering under his breath along the way.

When she finally came to a stop, her blood singing, _here, it’s here,_ she gaped in disbelief. No way.

“Damn it, Diana,” Gaius snarled as he stopped beside her, lips pulled into an irritated scowl. “I’m not some sort of _dog_ , here to chase you around―”

He cut himself off abruptly as he followed her line of sight, eyes widening as if he had just realized where she had been taking them. Gaius turned from the Roman Colosseum and back to her, his mouth a harsh line. “ _No_.”

Diana tore her gaze away from the historical arena, her chest rising and falling not from exertion but exhilaration. _Finally_ , she had a lead. She blinked at him. “No? What do you mean, ‘ _no_ ’?”

“I mean, _no_ , it’s not in there,” he snapped, clearly still irritated at being led around Rome without an explanation just to wind up at some tourist attraction. “That’s the _Roman Colosseum_ , Diana. If there was some sort of artifact hidden inside, historians already would have found it. And if _your_ artifact is in there, it’s on display in the museum. And we are _not_ breaking into the Colosseum museum.”

“Since when did you become a stickler for the rules,” she retorted, shooting him a withering glare. She took a deep breath, centering herself. She was not about to fight with him here. “Besides, I don’t think it’s literally _in_ the Colosseum. I think… I think it’s beneath it. I saw a tunnel, but it hadn’t looked like it had been touched in centuries. I don’t think anyone knows about it.”

Gaius huffed through his nose, still discontent, but folded his arms and turned to face the Colosseum again, his brows furrowed in thought. “In the early years after I was Turned, there were rumors about passageways beneath the Colosseum. Even further underground than the tunnels gladiators used. Emperors and high ranking officials supposedly used them to travel in secret. Some said it was for their safety and to keep their affairs secret, although to be fair, there wasn’t a single man in the Senate who didn’t have at least one other mistress, and everyone knew that. But I also heard that there were secret chambers connected to the tunnels for who knows what.”

“Yes!” Diana blurted, her excitement getting the better of her. Then seeing the reproach in Gaius’s eyes, she lowered her voice, careful not to draw any attention. Although there seemed to be no one around and they had encountered very few humans in the last couple of hours, it was best to be cautious. “That’s what I saw in my vision. The passageway led to this chamber, with this slab of marble at the center, like a table, or a bench. But it didn’t have legs, so it was more like a big pedestal, I guess.”

“Big enough for a body?”

“Um, yes,” Diana said slowly, brows knitting. “I suppose so.”

“That sounds like a ritual room,” Gaius frowned, resting his hand on the pommel of his sword. “For private funerals hosted by the family and confidantes of important people before the public cremation ceremony.”

Diana’s heart stopped. “The painting on the side of the amphora,” she whispered, the realization dawning on her. “That’s what it was showing. Some sort of secret burial rite.”

Gaius’s frown deepened, his shoulders tense beneath his coat. “The more I learn about this artifact of yours, the less certain I am that we should find it.”

“Scared?” Diana challenged with a smirk, although if she was being honest, there was some small part of her that agreed with him. 

Gaius leveled her with a cool gaze, immune to her attempts to rustle his feathers. “No. But maybe we should be.”

That sent a shiver down her spine. She turned away from him, studying the area around them. “You’re right about one thing. If there was a tunnel leading directly from the Colosseum, people would have found it by now.”

“It’s possible that the entrance from the Colosseum to your passageway has collapsed,” Gaius pondered, drawing her attention once again. “But that still leaves the question of how we find it.”

Diana chewed her lip, trying to recall her vision. The Colosseum, the passageway, the chamber, and… and another tunnel. Before the passageway, there was an underground tunnel, barely lit by lights in the distance. She focused, willing the image to become clear… Cement. The tunnel was formed of smooth, poured cement, which meant it was somewhat modern.

“There’s another underground tunnel,” she said, brows furrowed in concentration as kept the mental image in focus. “It was built more recently. At least within the last century.”

_A number of relics had been discovered during the construction of the underground subway in 1955._

Diana whipped her head up, seizing Gaius’s wrist. He startled as if burned, flinching away from her touch but she held fast. “The Metro. It was constructed in 1955. Does it run beneath the Colosseum?”

“I don’t know if it runs beneath it, but it certainly comes close enough,” he said, making a point to pry her fingers from his wrist with his free hand, lip curled. He nodded into the distance. “There’s a station just across the street.”

“Perfect,” Diana grinned, gripping his hand just after he freed his wrist and tugging him along in the direction he indicated. “Do you know if it’s still running?”

“You _don’t_ need to hold my hand for this,” Gaius grumbled, although he gave up on trying to extract himself from her grip. “And no, the last train should have stopped running around 11:30. Trains will be operational again around 5:30.”

“Good. We should leave before dawn anyway.” Diana led him to the subway station, its entrance blocked by a large metal gate. With her free hand, she gripped the padlock that was chained to the bars and closed her eyes, channeling some of her power through her fingertips, willing the inner mechanisms to move accordingly. The lock came undone in her hand and she unlooped the chain from the gate, letting it swing open before them.

The station’s interior lights were off. Diana crept forward, pausing at the top of the stairs where the moonlight gave way to a gaping maw of darkness. She pulled her phone out, using its flashlight to see more of the station. Even with her enhanced vampire senses, the darkness here was smothering. Despite the tingling sensation at the back of her skull that reassured her they were on the right path, she couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. Who knew what lurked in these tunnels at night? 

She thought about all that she had learned tonight regarding the amphora and its connection to some mysterious burial rite. Perhaps Gaius was right. Maybe the artifact was better left unfound.

But then again, if she didn’t retrieve it, there was always the chance that someone else could. And who knew what could happen then?

Diana looked up at Gaius, surprised to note that she found strength in his presence, calm and steady beside her. “Ready?”

Gaius turned his gaze upon her and Diana sensed his resolution. She straightened ever so slightly. Whatever lay inside these tunnels, they could handle it. Gaius squeezed her hand once, then released it as he unsheathed his sword and nodded. “Yes.”

And then they descended into the shadows.

* * *

“I know one of the perks of being a vampire is having enhanced senses,” Diana muttered as she and Gaius wandered through the underground tunnels of the metro system. “But maybe we should have brought a flashlight. Or another phone.”

She turned to Gaius, swinging her phone’s flashlight in a wide arc as she did. “We should get you a phone.”

Gaius huffed, eyes trained ahead as he continued on, one hand wreathed in blue flame while the other held his sword at the ready. “And why would we do that?”

“Well, for one thing, if you had a phone, we’d have another light.” Diana rolled her eyes. Even with Gaius’s fire and her phone flashlight, the darkness felt smothering. “For another, it would help you communicate. Stay in touch with the modern world. You could use it to look things up. Do some research. You know about Google, right?”

“Why are you so talkative.” Gaius grumbled at her. It wasn’t really a question. “And I don’t need it to ‘stay in touch.’ The only person I talk to is you.”

“It doesn’t have to be just me,” Diana shrugged, sweeping her light back and forth. She wasn’t sure what exactly she was looking for. A gaping hole in the side of the tunnel leading to the passageway seemed unlikely. Perhaps a door to a service room. 

Gaius scoffed. “Who else? Adrian?”

She shot him an irritated look. “I don’t know. It was just a suggestion. No need to shoot the gift horse in the mouth.”

“That is _not_ how the saying goes,” he huffed, stepping over a random puddle of water.

“But it works,” Diana shrugged. “I was offering to get you a phone, so I’m the gift horse. And not only are you questioning the value of my gift, but you are being particularly rude about it. Thus shooting me in the mouth. Just like you would a messenger.”

“ _I don’t want a phone_ ,” Gaius grumbled, gritting his teeth.

“Well good, because I’m retracting my offer anyway!” Diana snapped and he rolled his eyes.

They continued on in silence, their footsteps echoing in the empty tunnel. Diana sighed to herself, wondering if perhaps the passageway wasn’t down here at all and they weren’t any closer to finding the amphora than they were a week ago. But then she felt a sudden chill, the hair on the back of her neck standing up.

She paused, reaching for her sword. “Gaius. Did you feel that?”

He nodded, lips pressed into a grim line. “I felt it.

There was a scuttling sound and Diana stiffened, fingers wrapping around the hilt of her sword. Silently, she moved closer to Gaius and turned off her flashlight at the same time Gaius extinguished his fire, plunging them into total darkness. She felt Gaius’s hand, warm and comforting against her back. Subconsciously, she leaned into his touch.

After a moment, she heard the sound again. This time, it was much closer, much clearer, and drawn out for a longer amount of time. As Diana listened, her blood turned to ice. That wasn’t the sound of something scuttling around. Those were _voices_. Snickering. Chattering.

They couldn’t be Ferals. Ferals couldn’t speak like that. They could only hiss, snarl, and scream. And even though Diana couldn’t make out what the voices were saying, she could tell by the rise and fall of their voices that they were conversing with one another.

Diana opened her mouth, about to whisper to Gaius when she heard him, loud and clear.

_Quiet._

Diana startled, clamping her hand over her mouth as she jerked her head in his direction even though she could barely make out his outline. She had heard him, but not aloud. In her _mind_.

She sensed his own shock, shock at somehow wordlessly conveying his thoughts to her without the psychic ability to do so.

Tentatively, she reached out to him with her mind and found some sort of connection. This wasn’t the product of psychic power. She had spoken into minds before, had bridged her consciousness to someone else’s for a few moments to communicate, but this was different. This had formed on its own.

Hesitantly, she called down the bond. _Gaius?_

She heard the hitch in his voice, so slight that it was only audible because it was absolutely silent.

It was _silent_. The voices...

Diana’s whole body went cold. This wasn’t the silence of solitude. This was the silence that came from _listening_.

Diana’s body kicked into action, driven by primal instinct, and she unsheathed her sword at the same time a hundred red eyes opened around them.


	6. Chapter 5: Bonded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The connection deepens.

**_Rome, Italy, 2042_ **

One second there was silence.

And then the world began screaming around them.

Diana swung her sword and a wide arc, slashing at the pair of glowing red eyes was closest to her. Unable to make out where its body was, or even what this _ thing _ was, she missed, barely sensing the way their air shifted around her to narrowly miss an invisible claw that was intended for her heart. Instead, she felt claws drag over her shoulder and a searing pain that made lights flash behind her eyes.

She cried out, stumbling away as blood began to stain her clothes.

“Diana!” There was a bright flare and the thing that had attacked her retreated as the tunnel was illuminated in an eerie blue light. Something was shrieking, the sound so loud and grating Diana wanted to clamp her hands over her ears and curl into herself. But then Gaius was at her side,  _ gladius  _ in one hand, the other wreathed in a flickering blue flame. His eyes were wide, blue irises burning like the fire in his hand as his gaze went from her already healing shoulder to the creatures around them.

Diana looked, following his line of sight. And immediately wished she hadn’t.

“What,” she gasped, “in the absolute hell, Gaius,  _ are these things _ ?”

Like the Black Shuck, the creatures that surrounded them in a broken circle appeared to be made of shadow, although these beings were distinctly humanoid, with eyes that glowed red instead of silvery white. If it weren’t for their eyes, Diana wouldn’t have been able to tell one creature apart from another, their forms twitching and melding together in the flickering light of Gaius’s fire. 

“ _ Lemures _ ,” Gaius snarled, his voice harsher than Diana had ever heard it.  _ Lem-yur-ees. _ He cast his arm out in a wide arc and a ring of fire encircled them, pushing back the hoard of beasts. “Malicious spirits of particularly awful humans.”

Diana lashed out over the flames at a  _ lemure _ with her sword, slicing across its warped arm, severing it from its body and causing it to unleash an unearthly scream. Even in the low light, Diana saw as the arm that fell to the ground dispersed into black mist, then began to reform, growing from the  _ lemure’s _ gaping socket. Starting at the shoulder, the shadows coalesced into another arm, tapering to fingers that ended in long vicious points. Although they were made from darkness, Diana knew from first-hand experience that their bodies were very much real and could do some damage. 

“I thought spirits weren’t supposed to have bodies!”

“Normal ones don’t,” Gaius huffed, dodging and slashing at a snarling  _ lemure _ . They were getting more daring, edging closer to the ringlet of fire that surrounded them. “These ones feed off of violence. It’s how they become corporeal.”

“And they fear fire?” Diana asked, backing up as the swarm of lemures pressed in on them, testing the boundaries. Some shrieked as they came too close, their shadowy limbs dissipating into nothing once they came into contact with the flames.

“It weakens them greatly. It’s the only thing that can kill them,” Gaius added, his shoulder pressing against hers, facing the shadowy creatures on all sides. He angled his body slightly in front of hers, throwing out a whip of flame to push back the hoard. “Give me your sword. Quickly.”

Diana held it out to him and Gaius touched the hand wreathed in flame to the edge of her blade, then did the same to his own. They both ignited, the steel glowing red beneath cobalt flames. 

Diana stared at her sword in wonder. She felt its heat, the flames licking at her hands although it didn’t burn her. Experimentally, she swung her sword up at the nearest  _ lemure _ , slicing it from hip to shoulder. The others around it hissed, flinching back from the lethal arc of flame and steel as the top half of the  _ lemure _ she struck toppled to the ground, followed by its lower half, and dispersed into black mist. This time, the creature did not reform.

“That should help,” Gaius grunted, eyes flickering from Diana’s sword to her face.

Diana met Gaius’s gaze, her blood beginning to hum with the promise of a good fight now that the odds were even. As she looked at him, she couldn’t help but feel a little breathless. He was a vision, a creature of nightmares and daydreams. Face illuminated by his heavenly fire, he looked like an avenging angel, terrifying and devastatingly beautiful all at once.

She was glad to have him fighting by her side.

Gaius tipped his chin at her, as if sensing her thoughts, and she nodded back. Then they turned, wielding blades of light, and lunged into the fray.

* * *

There was no way to tell how many  _ lemures _ there were or how much time had passed. It felt as though hours had passed of cutting the spirits down, one by one, only to have several more take its place. How many corrupted souls had made these vile creatures? Were these spirits the product of decades of sin or mere years? 

Diana had lost track of Gaius a while ago, when the fighting first began. The only way she knew that he was still alive was the grating screams of  _ lemures _ in the distance, the occasional burst of blue fire, and an unexplainable feeling in her gut that told her if something happened to him, she would know.

Even with her sword and Gaius’s flames, the  _ lemures _ were vicious, seeming to grow even more so with every body she felled, every wound she inflicted and gained. Gaius had said they fed on violence. Were they growing stronger now, even as their numbers were culled? 

Diana drove her sword between the eyes of one, then spun and stabbed through the chest of another. She kept swinging, punching, and kicking, the violence a song in her blood, creatures turning to mist all around her. And still, they kept coming.

The seconds drew on. How long could they keep this up? She and Gaius, skilled as they were, were only two vampires against who knew how many  _ lemures _ . And Diana couldn’t even use her abilities. The spirits didn’t have minds she could control and bodies of shadow were not the same as bodies of flesh and blood. She couldn’t use her raw power, either. That would call attention from every vampire in the area to her presence, and who knew what else.

But perhaps that was their only option.

Diana knew that all it would take was one blast of power―one blast of light―and all of the  _ lemures  _ would be neutralized, taken out at once. 

But she had to find Gaius, first. Without knowing where he was, she could accidentally injure him in the process.

No sooner had she finished that thought than there was a brilliant flare of cobalt fire. It radiated outward from a single pinpoint obliterating every lemure within a ten-foot radius, licking up the curved walls of the tunnel.  _ Gaius. _

Diana turned in his direction, cutting a path to where she saw the flames. It was like fighting against a current, but inch by inch, foot by foot, she made her way towards him, finally coming close enough to see the flash of his gleaming blade.

She surged forward, gathering air in her heaving lungs to call out to him and relay her plan when she felt an excruciating pain explode along her spine. A scream ripped out of Diana’s throat as claws severed the nerves in her lower back and she rocked forward, losing feeling below her waist.

Amidst the pain, she felt a distant flash of alarm and rising panic. Diana crumpled to the ground, her blade extinguishing.

_ Diana! _

It was Gaius, in her head again, calling for her. But she couldn’t think straight, not with her nerves beginning the painstaking process of reconstructing themselves. She felt a sharp tug, as if someone were yanking on the threads of her very existence. Her head was cloudy, thoughts disoriented. Mere seconds had passed since she was on her feet, mowing down  _ lemures _ , and now…

An arm looped beneath her shoulders, heaving her from the floor. Diana’s feet skimmed the ground, weakly attempting to find their footing thanks to her ability to rapidly heal. Although her lower body still burned in agony, all of Diana’s attention focused on the body pressed against hers, solid and reassuring.

“Gaius,” she whispered, head lolling against his neck as he draped her arm over his shoulder with one hand, the other retrieving her katana. Mind still muddled from the pain, she absently relished the feel of his bare skin, soft against her cheek. He smelled of sweat and cheap hotel soap―was that lemon verbena?

“That’s  _ twice _ now,” Gaius hissed, holding her tightly against him as he cast out another wave of blue flame, keeping the beasts at bay while Diana got her bearings. “ _ Twice _ you have scared the ever-loving hell out of me tonight, Diana.”

His voice snapped her out of her reverie. She blinked, shaking her head to clear her mind as her legs fought to support some of her weight. “There’s too many, Gaius. I have to blast them.”

“No.” His arm tightened around her. “ _ No _ . The last thing we need right now is someone figuring out where you are and coming after you too.” 

Diana was certain she could stand on her own now. She withdrew her arm from around his shoulders, the ground solid beneath her feet, although she didn’t bother to bat away the steadying arm Gaius kept around her. “Gaius, we don’t have much of a choice.”

He shook his head, pulling her against a wall as he sent out another semi-circle of flame. They were back where they started, cornered, and running out of strength. “Well, you better start thinking of other ideas, Diana, because Rome is  _ not _ the place to get into trouble.”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” Diana snapped, snatching her sword from his hand, “but we already  _ are _ in trouble!”

Gaius glared at her as he ignited her blade once more, shaking his head in annoyance and disapproval. She heard his thoughts in her head once again, a loud and resounding,  _ No. _

Diana stiffened. Gaius was speaking into her mind. Had done so twice before already. And she knew he wasn’t exerting any power or psychic influence. It was as if there was an open line between their thoughts, a connection that bridged their minds…

Diana didn’t have time to wonder how this connection had formed or what that meant, but as she stared at the blue flames licking up her blade, she wondered what else could be passed through their bond.

“Gaius, I have an idea,” she said, voice grave. She turned, placing her hand on his shoulder. The ringlet of flame burning around them was beginning to dwindle, and when it died, they would have to start fighting again for who knows how long. If she was going to do this, it had to be now.

“I’m all ears,” he huffed, the arm that was around her shoulders slipping so that his hand rested against the small of her back. His palm was against her bare skin, her clothing shredded from the injury she had sustained. Diana felt his touch like electricity rushing through her veins, strengthening the bond between them. Gaius inhaled sharply as if he felt it too.

“I can’t use my power, but we can use  _ yours _ ,” Diana whispered, the hand on his shoulder drifting to brush the back of her knuckles against his cheek. Another flurry of sparks alighted beneath her skin. Diana could tell by the way his pupils dilated that Gaius experienced a similar sensation. “You feel it too, don’t you? This bond. You spoke into my mind earlier.”

“I wasn’t trying to―”

“I know,” Diana nodded, resting her fingertips against his neck, distantly aware of the dimming flames at her back. “I don’t know what this is, but I think I can use it. I think… I think I can transfer some of my strength into you. We can use your fire to defeat the  _ lemures _ . It would be _ your _ flames, not my power.”

“You think or you know?” She saw the hesitation in his eyes. The thought of having someone else’s influence on him once again… 

“I know,” Diana said with certainty, because deep down, she knew she was right on this. She brushed her thumb across his skin. “But I need you to trust me, Gaius. I won’t do this if―”

“I trust you.” Gaius’s palm flattened against her back and Diana sensed the truth behind his words through their bond. “You’re not her. I know that. I trust you, Diana.”

Diana stared at him for one more second in wonder―wonder of how this man could trust in anyone, least of all her. Wonder in how it was possible that she came to trust him too. 

Then she took a deep breath and pulled her hand back from his neck, instead settling it against his chest. She felt his heart beat steadily beneath her palm and she glanced up at Gaius, waiting for his confirmation. He nodded.

The ringlet of flames died out, plunging them into a smothering darkness filled with glaring crimson eyes.

And then Diana  _ pushed _ , directing her power into his chest. 

Gaius gasped, a soft puff of hair that ghosted over Diana’s forehead.

And then the darkness  _ shattered _ apart.

Golden fire erupted from Gaius’s hands, his sword clattering uselessly to the floor. Diana watched in awe as Gaius’s fire― _ their _ fire―burned through row upon row of  _ lemures _ . In the darkness, she had not realized how impossible this battle was. There must have been thousands of those vicious spirits. But why? Why were they attacking now? After years of living underground, undisturbed?

A cold pit in her stomach told Diana that she knew why. The amphora.

Diana gave and gave, channeling as much of her strength and power as Gaius needed to burn the shadows away, banishing years of violence, hatred, and malevolence. The flames burned so bright, she had to turn away, shielding her face against Gaius’s shoulder. The heat made her hair cling to her neck, damp with sweat, although the flames, despite their proximity, did not burn. She sensed the careful restraint in Gaius, his commendable focus amidst the chaos.

Diana pulled back, eyes searching Gaius’s face. His skin was flushed, both from the heat and the sheer force of her strength flooding through him. And his eyes… Diana was relieved to see that they were not burning with power, but remained their usual, steady blue. He was still… him.

Gaius’s eyes slowly shifted to hers, and then he let the fire go. Instantly, the air cooled to a pleasant degree. Golden flames flickered in the distance, small scattered lights slowly dying out. The tunnel bore no scorch marks, no sign of the fire that had raged within its walls. 

Gaius let his hands fall to his sides, chest heaving. “They’re all gone.”

Diana ceased her transfer, letting her power lie dormant once again in her veins. Relief flooded through her and she smiled, broad and true. A strange expression crossed Gaius’s face in the low light, then hesitantly, he smiled back.

The sight of it was so disarming, she felt her own expression fall. She had not seen that expression on him, a smile so honest, even in her memories, in twenty-two years. And for a moment, it made her forget herself. Diana lifted her hand from his chest, fingertips just barely brushing against the edge of his jaw, sliding toward his lips, the corner of his mouth. Gaius’s body went taut against hers, his breath catching in his throat. Diana wanted to touch that smile, feel for herself that it wasn’t just some figment of her imagination. 

Then Diana pitched forward, legs suddenly weak beneath her. She was exhausted, absolutely drained from transferring so much of her strength, so much of her power, into Gaius and his flames. Gaius’s arms came up around her, steadying her― _ cradling _ her against him.

_ Gaius, _ she thought down the bond. They had to keep going, but she just needed a moment. Her body had never felt so worn out, her mind so tired.

_ Rest, Diana. _ She heard his thoughts in her mind, like a gentle caress.  _ I can wait. _

Diana nodded against him, and closed her eyes, feeling safer than she had in weeks.

* * *

Diana wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she finally came back to herself. She drew back from Gaius’s warm embrace, rubbing her eyes. 

“Feeling better?” 

The last of the fires had died out, so Diana couldn’t see Gaius’s expression when he spoke. If she was being honest, she wasn’t entirely sure she could look at him right now without flushing. God, had she really just dozed on him? In an underground subway tunnel?

“Yeah…” she mumbled, mumbling for her phone. “Thanks.”

“Mm,” was all he replied.

Diana turned on her phone flashlight, then checked the time. They still had about two hours until dawn, which realistically left them an hour and a half to find the amphora before they had to return to their hotel, just to be safe.

She retrieved her sword from the floor and sheathed it with a sigh. “We should keep searching.”

Gaius nodded, pushing away from the wall. He paused. “Diana?” 

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry. About the  _ lemures, _ ” he confessed, his voice soft. “I should have foreseen that they could have become a problem. In recent years, they had been keeping to themselves down here. It’s been a while since they attacked anyone. Still...I should have told you about them.”

Diana shook her head, even though he couldn’t see. She reached out, briefly squeezing his shoulder. “You couldn’t have known. Besides, I think they came after us for a reason.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think… I think they were protecting the amphora. Somehow, they knew we were after it. That’s why they attacked us.” Diana frowned, shaking her head to herself. “I don’t know, I just… have this feeling.”

“Well, if it's true that they attacked us because they wanted to stop us from finding the amphora, then that must mean―”

Diana paused, the back of her scalp prickling. What a coincidence. “Yeah,” she breathed. “We must be close. In fact… I think we’re just about there.”

She felt that chill again, ghosting over her skin and making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. It was the same feeling she had before the  _ lemures _ attacked, although this time, there was nothing stopping her from following it. Gaius tensed beside her. He felt it too.

It was a breeze, she realized, a draft coming from some sort of opening in the tunnel. Diana traced it, using her heightened senses to follow the draft back to its source. She could scent the stale air and the cool odor of damp stone, could hear the wind whistling through a gap, could hear―

Water.

She could hear rushing water.

Diana paused by the curved wall of the other side of the tunnel and crouched. Here. She held out her stone flashlight, illuminating a metal grate, barely a foot-wide. She could just make out the gleam of her own light between the bars, reflected back at her on the rippling surface of the body of water below.

“Gaius, are there any underground rivers in Rome?”

“I believe there’s one, yes,” Gaius said, crouching beside her. He laid his hand over the grate. “It’s down here, isn’t it? The river.”

Diana nodded. “And the amphora.”

An exasperated look crossed Gaius’s face and he pursed his lips. “Before you ran into me, you expected to do this stuff all on your own?”

“If I’m being honest, I really didn’t have much of a plan,” Diana admitted with a small smile. “I also thought I’d be able to use my powers.”

Gaius sighed, then gripped the bars of the grate, lifting the hunk of metal aside. “Let’s get this over with. Before the sun comes up.”

He punched the ground a few times, crushing the concrete beneath his fist to widen the hole enough to fit through. Diana winced at his bloody knuckles, although Gaius barely seemed phased. They peered into the darkness below, the sound of the river much louder now that the hole had been enlarged. 

“How far down do you think that is?” Diana asked and Gaius shrugged.

He grabbed a piece of rubble and dropped it into the opening, silently counting until they heard the splash below. “I’d guess fifteen feet.”

Diana whistled. She moved her light around, eyeing the riverbank. “We’d have to get a good jump to get back up here. Unless you brought some rope with you?”

“Rope and a grappling hook? No, it must have slipped my mind,” Gaius said flatly and Diana rolled her eyes.

“Well, at least it’s do-able.”

Gaius looked between her and the river below, then let out a long breath. “I’ll go first.”

Diana nodded, stepping away from the hole to give him space. “Appreciate it.”

He merely huffed, took a step back, and then jumped.

Diana heard a splash, then watched as Gaius surfaced in the water a moment later, hair slicked back. He looked distinctly uncomfortable. “This water is cold.”

“Oh joy,” Diana grumbled, then waved her light towards the riverbank. “Get to the edge and I’ll toss my phone to you. We’ll need the light.”

Gaius swam to the bank, heaving himself onto the shore. He shook his hands dry, then held them up. “Okay, throw it.”

“You better not drop it.”

“I won’t.”

“I’m serious.”

_ Just toss it _ . This time, she heard it in her head, his irritation clear. Diana smirked and tossed her phone to him, watching as it sailed right into his hands, safe and sound.

_ Good job, _ she called down the bond and caught the scowl that crossed his lips just before she plunged into the river below

It was  _ freezing _ . Diana broke the surface with a gasp, whipping her head around in search of the riverbank, strands of wet hair clinging to her face.  _ There _ . She saw Gaius standing along the shore, her phone flashlight directed in her direction. Diana squinted against the light and propelled herself forward, teeth chattering as she heaved her body onto solid ground. She felt Gaius’s hand at her elbow, helping her to her feet.

“Really should have prepared better for this,” Diana grumbled, taking her phone back with shaking hands. Gaius’s fire bloomed to life in his palm and Diana huddled closer for a moment, letting its heat warm her bones. She glanced up at him, startling slightly when she found he was already looking at her. Diana quickly averted her gaze and jutted her chin towards his burning hand. “That’s a neat trick.”

Gaius smirked and the flames jumped, curling towards her and then drawing back playfully. “They never failed to entertain at parties.”

Diana huffed through her nose, a small smile curving her lips. “You, Gaius Augustine, performed parlor tricks, at parties?”

“Jest all you like, but I actually had quite an exciting social life.” Gaius’s smirk softened with a distant memory. “Masquerades, soirées, night festivals…” His eyes darkened a fraction with sorrow. Regret. “If only our lives could have always been like that.”

“I wish I could have seen that,” Diana said softly and Gaius’s eyes flicked from the fire to hers.

“I could… show you, if you’d like. Through the…” Diana felt him reach out through the bond, brushing against her mind with a feather-like caress. “Not now of course, but…” Gaius swallowed and drew back, expression suddenly bashful. “Anything you’d like to see, Diana…” He trailed off, but she knew, without him saying, what he meant. 

Ever since they had fully accepted and used the bond during the fight, the air between them had… changed somehow. It was less charged. Less fraught with tension. 

She nodded, amazed by the sincerity of his words, the level of vulnerability it offered. “I would like that very much.”

Gaius nodded once, then turned away, schooling his features into neutrality as he held up his hand, illuminating the walls of the cavern. “So. The passageway.”

Right. Diana closed her eyes, casting out her senses until she felt something in her peripheral. An ancient and powerful signature that resounded in her chest. She opened her eyes, raising her phone and directing the light downstream. She held her hand out, brushing her fingers along the stone wall as she began to move.“This way.”

They walked alongside the river on the downward-sloping riverbank, the air growing colder the deeper underground they went. Diana sensed an opening was coming up and she quickened her pace, lips parting as the fingertips she had been skimming along the cavern wall met air and her light exposed a branching tunnel.

_ Here. _ Diana glanced back at Gaius, eyes wide. It was the passageway from her vision.

“Well done, Bloodkeeper,” he murmured, briefly squeezing her shoulder as they entered the corridor together.

They had only been walking for all of a minute when they came to a dead end. A wall of gray stone and plaster halted their progress. Diana laid her hand against the rough surface of the wall and felt the amphora’s presence, waiting for her on the other side.

_ It’s here _ , she said softly down the bond, unable to speak the words aloud. Finally, after all those hours of research and everything they had gone through… It was so close.

Gaius gestured for her to step back before he slammed his elbow against the wall. It fractured, clouds of dust and rubble raining down. Once a sizable hole had been made, he gripped the crumbling stone with his hands and tore the rest of it down. After the dust settled, he stepped aside, glancing at Diana.

_ After you. _

It was just as it had appeared in her vision. The room was plain, with a few holes dug into the wall where offerings had once been made. At the center of the room was a slab of marble. As Diana looked closer, she realized humanoid figures had been chiseled into the sides of the platform, their arms raised as if they were holding up the surface and whatever was supposed to lay atop it. Diana’s eyes slowly trailed upward from the stone men to the amphora they supported.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Gaius asked, his voice echoing in the small room.

“Yes.” Diana could barely bring her voice above a whisper. She swallowed, crossing to the center of the room as she freed herself from her damp coat. Diana stared at the amphora, eyes settling on the man in the center of the scene painted on the side, transfixed by the golden mask he wore.

“It’s like mine,” Gaius murmured as he stood by Diana’s side. He sounded… troubled.

Diana nodded, taking one more second to visually study the vase before draping her coat over it. After making sure all of it was covered, she picked it up, tucking it under her arm. She wasn’t about to have another incident with her power as she had with the amulet.

“That was… easy.”

Diana raised an eyebrow, shooting Gaius an incredulous look. “What about any of this was easy? The  _ lemures _ , the secret underground river, the wall?”

“Point taken.”

Diana shook her head at him, shivering slightly from the cold. She couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel, be rid of her damp clothes, and take a nice, warm shower. “Let’s just get out of here.”

They retreated back the way they came, taking great care to safely maneuver the amphora through the hole in the ceiling above the underground river. There were no signs of any more  _ lemures _ or the fight that had occurred earlier that morning.

The journey back to the hotel beneath the lightening sky passed in a blur. Diana was thoroughly exhausted. She could tell Gaius was too by the bleary look in his eyes.

During the elevator ride that led up to their room, Gaius turned his tired gaze on her, brows furrowing. “What’s that look for?”

Diana touched her mouth. She hadn’t realized she’d been smiling at him. She quickly let it fall. “Nothing… I’m just… glad you were with me today.”

As she said it, she knew the words were true.

Gaius stared at her as if she had just admitted to something absurd, then shook his head. “You’re delusional.”

“Maybe so,” Diana shrugged, but when she glanced at him as they left the elevator and emerged onto their floor, she caught the hint of a smile on his lips.

Back in their suite, Diana had barely set the amphora down on the coffee table in the living room before she collapsed on the couch, eyes fluttering shut. The last thing she was aware of before she succumbed to sleep was the weight of a soft blanket settling over her and the sound of curtains being drawn shut, blocking out the first rays of dawn.


	7. Chapter 6: Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past does not want to stay in the past.

_**Somewhere, sometime in Italy** _

_The world is on fire._

_Smoke fills his nostrils, burning his sinuses. Bodies litter the field he prowls upon, some burned, some bleeding, some mangled beyond recognition. Everywhere he turns, survivors are screaming in pain and anguish. They wouldn’t be for long._

_Golden breastplates gleam in the moonlight, scattered amongst the dead. Their losses had been insignificant in comparison to the devastation they inflicted. This was the might of Octavian. The might of the Empire._

_He wonders how many of his own kind had fought tonight. How many of his progeny fought within his century, within this legion, with not swords but fangs._

_He hears someone moan, long and drawn, out to his left. He follows the sound of despair and finds a cavalryman_ ― _not one he recognizes―pinned beneath his horse, gasping for breath. He is badly burned, all the way from the fingertips of his right hand to the right side of his face._

_The man turns his gaze upon him, eyes a muddy brown and hazy with pain. He stretches out a bloody hand, just barely grazing his ankle. “H-Help…”_

_The cavalryman will not survive. His injuries are too severe. He can feel the man’s life force slipping away, like water between cupped hands. When he looks inward, searching for some ounce of sympathy, he feels nothing. Only hatred and rage, distant on the horizon now that he is sated, but always there nevertheless._

_He cannot muster an ounce of compassion. They had fought on the same side, yes. But in the end, the man is just a man. Nothing more. Unlike him._

_The only thing he can offer is a swift death._

_He unsheathes his sword, holding the tip between the gaps of the cavalryman's armor._

_“Please…”_

_He slides the blade home, its lethal edge gliding between ribs. The man splutters, blood gurgling from his lips, and he hears his heart stop._

_He takes no joy in killing this man. He takes no joy in anything at all._

_“Raghhhhh!”_

_He stands and turns, freeing his blade with a wet squelch. Another soldier runs towards him with a sword raised, this one dressed in ornate armor of ebony and gold. Not on the same side then._

_He can sense the bloodlust in the air. The desperation. Such fire, he muses, for a human. But ultimately pointless._

_He has not known joy in a long time. Not since he had been so deeply betrayed. Not since the one he loved most was erased from the earth. He does not know joy. But he will take pleasure in this. In killing this man._

_He smiles, cold and hollow, like the glint of a knife in the dark._

_When the man is close enough, he grabs his wrist, squeezing hard enough to fracture bone as he uses the soldier’s momentum to swing him around, shatter his arm, and drive his own sword up into his stomach, all the way up to the hilt._

_It is too easy._

_“Fucking… monster,” the man wheezes, coughing up blood. He feels flecks of it, warm and tacky on his cheek._

_If the man wants a monster, he will show him a monster._

_He smiles as his fangs descend, delighting in the fear that alights in the man’s wide eyes. “No―”_

_He sinks his teeth into the soldier’s neck and drinks deeply despite not needing to. In war, there is more than enough blood to go around._

_When the man begins to scream, he simply tears out his throat._

_A drum begins to pound in the distance and he turns in the direction from whence he came, letting the man’s lifeless body slump to the ground. It is time to go. His legion is moving on, onto the next battle._

_He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and begins the trek back. Any survivors that are still on the killing field will be left behind, allies and enemies alike._

_“I never should have forgotten who you are.”_

_He freezes. That voice… It is so familiar. It… does not belong here._

_He turns, lips parting. “Kamilah.”_

_She looks just as she did the day he first met her in her war tent. Her long white dress falls to her feet where the hem is stained with blood, stark against the fabric. “You are a killer. You always have been. You always will be.”_

_No, this was not the way he remembers it. This is not the way it went_ ―

 _“How?” he rasps, shaking his head. “I_ ― _we haven’t met yet.”_

_“If only that were the case,” Kamilah replies coldly, eyes glinting with cold fire. “I wish I had never met you.”_

_“I know,” he whispers, trembling despite himself. “I’m sorry.”_

_“You are a_ monster _, Gaius.”_

_Yes. Gaius. That is him. He has not heard that name… in years. Gaius._

_“I know.” His voice breaks._

_“The Undying Centurion…” Kamilah says to herself, her tone thoughtful but her face a mask of stone. She glances down, weighing one of her ornate daggers in her hand. It gleams like quicksilver in the moonlight. When she meets his gaze again, her eyes are full of hatred. And resolve. “I wish you had killed me. I should have let you kill me.”_

_Gaius realizes what she is about to do a moment too late. He lunges, a cry on his lips as Kamilah plunges her own dagger into her stomach, burying it up to the hilt. Her eyes widen and she stumbles back, collapsing to her knees._

_“No!” Gaius falls to the ground with her, hands shaking as he brushes her long, dark hair away. His fingers flutter over the hilt of her dagger, unable to stop the blood that keeps seeping out, staining the front of her dress crimson. This cannot be happening. This isn’t real, it cannot be. “My Queen, I…”_

_A tear slides down his cheek, crystalline as it falls and lands on her smooth chest. He watches in horror as it mixes with her blood and her body begins to feel heavy in his arms._

_“How could you?”_

_When Gaius looks up, it is not Kamilah who watches him with wide eyes, but_ Rheya _._

 _He startles, about to scramble away when her hand closes around his wrist like a vice. She pulls him in, pressing his palm against her stuttering chest. Her blood stains their hands together. Gaius fights down the bile that rises in his throat, repulsed by the woman in his arms. She had warped him, lied to him,_ used _him_ ―

_“You betrayed me,” Rheya hisses, face contorting into an ugly mask of fury._

_“Yes.” Gaius snarls, reaching for his own dagger at his belt. “You lived too long Rheya. Caused too much pain.”_

_“And you haven’t?” she spits and he winces._

_He lifts his hand, the dagger poised above her heart. He will finish this. For good._

_Gaius feels her gaze on him, burning. Despite everything, he has to close his eyes. He takes a deep breath_ ―

_“Gaius?”_

_His eyes flutter open and he drops the blade in the grass. Something inside him fractures. “Diana.”_

_The Bloodkeeper gazes up at him, skin deathly pale and bleeding from the same wound. He feels her pain as if it was his own. Another effect of their bond, he knows. But it is fraying. Whatever links their minds together, it is starting to break. He can feel it tear him apart, mind and soul._

_“No,” he whispers. He hefts her body closer to him, shaking his head. “Not you too.”_

_“Why?” Diana croaks and he feels her fingertips brush over the back of his hand. When he looks down, he finds his hand, wrapped around the dagger embedded in her gut._

_“No.” He jerks his hand back, flinching. Her blood is on his hands. “Diana, I didn’t…”_

_She grabs his hand, although her touch is soft. Not just because her strength is waning, but because she means to be gentle. It hurts to meet her gaze, but Gaius forces himself to as she places his palm against her cheek. It is so cold. Gently, he takes her other hand, the one she holds over her stomach, and holds it against his cheek. Her blood is warm against his skin._

_“I don’t know how…” He tries and fails to speak. The bond is growing taut, ready to snap. He tries to cling to it, to keep her here, but he doesn’t know how._

_“I’ve died before, Gaius,” she whispers, thumb brushing over his skin. “I’m not afraid to do it again. Not anymore.”_

_Gaius swallows, hand slipping from her face. His fingers curl around the hilt of his dagger, lifting it from the grass. “Neither am I. Will you help me?”_

_He holds the knife, poised over his own chest, full of resolve. Diana’s hand slips from his cheek, leaving a bloody handprint behind, and covers his over the hilt. She nods._

_“Of course.”_

**_Rome, Italy, 2042_ **

Diana jolted awake, breathing hard. Her hand fluttered over her stomach, then her chest. Her heart pounded beneath her palm. She glanced around. She was still on the couch in the living room, a blanket tucked around her. There was no light behind the curtains, so night must have fallen.

What was that? It was like… a memory. Or at least part of it was. A dream then. But not her’s. She’d seen herself. Had been someone else.

“Gaius,” she whispered, lunging to her feet. Diana stumbled across the suite, tripping over her own feet in her haste as she rushed to his room. She yanked the door open, finding him tangled in his sheets.

“I’m sorry,” he was muttering over and over, near frantic. Diana could feel his panic, his anguish through the bond. He was having a nightmare.

Hesitantly, Diana crossed to the side of his bed. Gaius was turned away from her, the muscles in his back and shoulders tense. Gently, Diana laid her hand against his arm. “Gaius.”

He flinched away from her, jolting awake. “ _No_ , I―” Gaius froze, looking around him, eyes hazy. He swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut for a second and shaking his head. He took a deep breath, calming his heartbeat. Then he opened his eyes. “Diana…”

“Are you okay?” she asked softly, letting her hand fall back to her side. She had never seen him so rattled before.

“Yes. I…” he trailed off, noticing her own troubled expression. “Are _you_ okay?”

Diana glanced away, suddenly feeling like an intruder, both in his room and his mind. “I saw your dream.”

“Oh.”

Diana couldn’t bring herself to look at him. Dreams were an incredibly private thing, and it appeared as if she had just sat in on one of the worst ones of his.

“...I’m sorry about that.” 

Diana raised her brows, incredulous. “ _You’re_ sorry? How could any of that have been your fault? You didn’t want me to see that.”

“No, I didn’t,” he agreed, running his hands through his hair. He glared at his sheets for a moment, then sighed, frustration ebbing away. “But I must have projected it to you somehow. Down the…” Gaius frowned.

“Down the bond,” Diana finished and he nodded. Diana bit her lip, glancing between the door and Gaius. Then she stepped forward, glancing down at the edge of the bed.

As if sensing her question, Gaius shifted over on the bed, making space for her to sit. Odd, Diana noted, how they could read each other so well without even speaking. Although she supposed they had even odder methods of communication to wonder about.

Diana sat beside him with her back against the headboard, knees tucked to her chest as if she could make herself as small and unobtrusive as possible. “What is this? Why are we connected?” She glanced over at him. “Have you ever heard of something like this?”

Gaius opened his mouth and closed it as if in hesitation. He dragged himself up against the headboard as well, keeping a respectful distance between them. “Yes, actually. Only a few times before. From my knowledge, it’s incredibly rare.”

 _Of course_ , Diana thought bitterly. As if being the first Bloodkeeper vampire and having the powers of the First weren’t enough _rare_ things on her plate.

Gaius’s lip quirked.

“What is it?” Diana asked, gesturing between them. “Why did it form?”

“I don’t know the true nature of it,” he admitted, looking troubled. “I’ve never actually met any two vampires with this sort of bond. Or even if I had, I imagine they wouldn’t have told me about it.”

“Why?”

“It’s a very… vulnerable thing to have, from what I understand,” Gaius said, looking more and more disturbed as he went on. “It’s a very deep connection. Severing it would be―”

“Nearly unbearable?” Diana guessed, remembering the way it had felt to be Gaius in his dream, to see herself bleeding out in his arms.

“Yes,” he murmured, wincing as if it pained him to know that she had seen that.

“Is it just our minds that are connected?” she questioned, wondering if it would just be nearly unbearable to live if the other died, or impossible.

“For our sakes, I hope so.”

Diana sighed. _Wonderful._

“...Why did it form between us?”

Gaius shifted, clearly uncomfortable. “I don’t know that either. I’ve heard many stories. Some say that vampires can become connected through some sort of trauma.”

“Like killing each other?” Diana supplied and Gaius huffed a laugh.

“I would certainly consider that to be traumatic enough.” Gaius looked down at his hands. They clenched, gripping the sheets tightly in his fists. “Some people say… it’s fate.”

Diana let out a long, slow breath. “Fate.”

“Mm.”

“And what makes two people… fit? Why does fate connect them?” Diana grimaced. This was perhaps one of the weirdest conversations she’d ever had. Right next to being told that she was the Bloodkeeper. In both situations, she was faced with some truth about herself that changed the foundation beneath her feet.

Gaius’s eyes flicked towards her. “They’re equals. Perfect complements to each other.”

Diana stiffened. Her and Gaius. Equals. And she had a feeling he wasn’t talking about in power. And perfect complements? She didn’t want to think about that. “And what typically… becomes of these bonded vampires? What does any of this mean?”

Gaius looked away, staring at the opposite wall. “I don’t know, Diana. None of this is for certain.”

Diana sensed he was telling the truth, although she couldn’t help but feel he wasn’t telling her all of it. Or at least all that he suspected. But she didn’t push for more information. She wasn’t entirely sure that she wanted to learn more.

They sat in silence for a while, processing this new information. Diana wondered, not for the first time, why everything between them had to be so complicated.

Diana’s thoughts drifted back to his dream, the reason she had woken up and come here tonight. “Gaius?”

“Hm?”

“Do you have those...nightmares often?”

Gaius frowned. It seemed he was _always_ frowning. “That particular one was new. I think perhaps being in Rome again for so long is starting to get to me. But yes. These nightmares…”

He didn’t have to finish. Diana knew what he was going to say. They were common.

“What are they usually about?” Diana knew she was prodding but… She couldn’t imagine seeing something like what she saw tonight on a regular basis. How could he manage something like that?

To her surprise, Gaius answered without brushing her off. “Mostly memories. Or versions of them. You asked me once if I could feel the weight of what I’ve done. Well, the answer is yes. Almost every night since you removed Rheya’s influence, I see it. I see the lives I ended, I feel the terror they felt. I remember how I felt then, how much I enjoyed it. And that’s the worse part. But no matter what I do, the dreams don’t stop.”

Diana pursed her lips. She didn’t want to feel sympathy for him. But to see memories like that, nearly every day for over two decades… Hadn’t she told him that perhaps he had suffered enough? It was one thing to atone, another to be constantly punished.

“I think I know a way to make them stop,” she said after a few moments. She felt Gaius’s gaze on her, eyes intent. “But it won’t be easy. It will take a lot of courage on your part.”

Gaius narrowed his eyes. “What is it?”

Diana looked over at him. “It might help you if you confront these memories. Face them head-on.”

Gaius scoffed. “And how do I do that? I already see them all the time.”

“I can help you. Think of it as… dream therapy,” Diana shrugged. “I could help you see them, just like I would if you wanted to show me your memories of those parties. You’d have to see those memories, make peace with them, and hopefully, they’ll stop surfacing in your dreams.”

Gaius stared at her, thinking it over. His brows furrowed, a crease forming between them. “And you… you would see them too?”

Diana smiled sadly and nodded. “I would. It can’t be helped. If I were to induce a memory and leave you there unmonitored, you could get stuck.”

“That’s comforting,” he grumbled, eyes going to his hands once again. He took a deep breath, steeling himself. “And you would be okay with that. Seeing those memories.”

“Yes,” she replied without a second thought, even though her stomach roiled. “It’ll help get some peace of mind in the long run. For both of us,” she added. “Seeing as we’re bonded and all.”

Gaius nodded slowly. “But if it’s too much for you―”

“I’ll pull us out.”

“Okay. If you think this will help, then alright. We’ll do this.”

Diana nodded in confirmation, taking this as her cue to leave. But as she began to clamber off of his bed, she couldn’t help but how troubled he seemed, how averse to any mind tricks he was.

She paused, settling back down, her legs folded beneath her. “Would you… like to see how it’s done? With my memories?”

Gaius’s eyes widened and he quickly shook his head. “No. I wouldn’t ask that of you.”

“You aren’t asking,” Diana said, resting her hands on her knees, palms up. “I’m offering. I don’t mind. This way, you know what it will be like and there are no surprises when we go into your memories.”

“What are you going to show me?” he questioned, gaze skeptical, as if expecting some sort of trap.

“I haven’t decided yet,” she shrugged, sweeping her hair back over her shoulder. “Nothing too serious. And nothing about you, either. I promise.”

Gaius stared at her, intently searching her eyes. For what, she didn’t know. Confirmation, perhaps. Or maybe even deception. Either way, whatever he saw, he must have decided it was enough. He nodded. “Alright, then. I’ll follow your lead.”

“Okay,” Diana agreed, taking a moment to sort through her memories for something mild. Something happy. She figured that they could both use something good right about now. “Okay,” she repeated, holding out both of her hands, one in the air between them and one hovering by his temple. “Give me your hand. It’s easier if we establish contact. It will be less jarring for both of us.”

Gaius wordlessly placed his hand in hers, fitting their palms together, fingers brushing over each other’s wrists. Diana could feel his pulse beneath her fingertips, fluttering like a rabbit’s heart. Then, slowly so as not to startle him as she so often did, he touched the fingers of her other hand to his temple.

“Close your eyes,” she instructed him as she did the same. Diana focused, locating Gaius’s presence in the dark, and wrapped herself around him, pulling him with her as she drew them both into her mind palace.

Across from her, Gaius gasped softly. “Incredible…”

It was. Nebula of electric blue woven with gleaming silver strands whirled around them, contracting and dispersing like mist, only to reform with other clusters of matter.

“I spend a lot of time here,” Diana admitted, glancing over at Gaius’s manifestation beside her. “It’s where I go when I need to think. Meditating actually strengthens it. A healthy mind makes for a more responsive mind palace.”

“What do you mean ‘more responsive’?” Gaius asked, still staring at their surroundings in wonder. Diana took a moment to simply watch him. The way he was looking around, at this most sacred place of hers, with naked admiration and awe… it made something in her chest feel warm.

Diana tore her eyes away from him, focusing instead on one of the nearby clouds of mind matter. She concentrated, willing it to bend to her will, to make what she desired a reality. The ability to manifest here came easily now, after years of practice. When she opened her eyes again, a small silver charm bracelet floated before her. Diana plucked it out of the air and smiled down at the familiar bracelet, turning over the sparkling charms. A dolphin, an otter, a jellyfish, and a seahorse. She turned, lifting Gaius’s arm by his sleeve, and set the charm bracelet in his hand.

Gaius blinked in amazement, torn between looking at the bracelet she conjured from psychic matter and his own hands, as if noticing them for the first time. “Is this—are we real?”

“Yes and no,” Diana replied, calling on the memory she planned to explore. God, she was starting to sound like Kano. Vague and confusing. 

“These bodies aren’t real. But we can still feel things, like pain,” she explained, remembering the first time she had entered a mind palace and fought a werewolf, a minotaur, and two Ferals and felt first hand what it was like to take damage. Diana pinched the back of Gaius’s arm and scowled, batting her hand away. “I haven’t tested it, but I think if we were to die in here―”

“We would die out there,” Gaius finished, grimacing, the charm bracelet still clenched in his fist.

“Exactly. My mind isn’t a dangerous place, but…” Diana shrugged. “Try not to get killed, I guess?”

“Reassuring, Diana. Truly.”

She smiled, and beckoned him forward, just as she pinched the air with her fingers and pulled on an invisible thread. Before Gaius could ask any questions, a portal appeared before them, wisps of silver light whisking off its edges.

Gaius glanced between the portal and Diana, a single brow raised. “Am I supposed to be able to do that?”

“No. Your memories seem to be surfacing on their own, so they won’t be hard to find. This one’s old, so I had to actively search for it,” Diana placed one foot in the portal, half in the memory and half in her mind palace. She held her hand out. “Come on.”

Gaius looked at her hand, then deliberately stepped around it, following her through the portal. Diana rolled her eyes and closed the portal behind them.

_Diana is six years old._

_She hangs on to her father’s hand, swinging his arm as they wander through the aquarium enveloped in rippling blue light. She skips up to a large exhibit, pressing her nose up to the glass, enraptured by the giant Manta rays and schools of glittering fish within._

_“Diana, what did we say about putting your face on the glass?” her father says gently, herding her back from the display. She clings to his arm, pointing as a sea turtle glides by, casting a shadow on her small frame._

_“But I can see the fishes better!” She clings to his arm, pointing as a sea turtle glides by, casting a shadow on her small frame._

_“Oh, you can see the fishes better, huh?” Before Diana can respond, he scoops her up, one arm around her legs, the other around her shoulders as he dips her, holding her upside down. “How about now?”_

_Peals of laughter fill the air as Diana squeals in delight, squirming in her father’s arms. “No! Everything’s upside down!”_

_Her father chuckles, swinging her right-side up again before kneeling down. “Come on, bubbles. I’ll show you a better view.”_

_Grinning, Diana clambers onto her father’s shoulders, squeezing his hands tightly as he stands, walking up to the exhibit so she can see better. “Look at those, Dad!”_

_Diana continues to point out all sorts of fish, recalling all of the facts she had learned about in her small collection of books about the ocean. In her excitement, she grips her father’s hair, directing his line of sight for him. Her father winces, but lets her do it anyway, his large hand covering hers._

“That is you, isn’t it?” Gaius asked softly beside her. “The little girl.”

Diana nodded, coming back to herself. She’d almost forgotten she was here with Gaius, too wrapped up in the memory to pay him any attention.

“Yeah,” she whispered, overwhelmed with nostalgia and longing. “That’s me and my dad. We went to the aquarium for my sixth birthday. I… didn’t have a lot of friends then.”

“This is a happy memory, then?” Gaius questioned.

“Yeah,” Diana answered breathily, confused by his question. Didn’t it _look_ happy? “One of my happiest.”

“Then… why are you crying?”

Diana startled, brushing her fingers across her cheeks. They were wet. She hadn’t even realized she’d been crying.

“Diana?” Gaius’s voice was soft, gentle, as if he were speaking to a cornered animal.

“I’m okay,” she reassured him, watching as her father began to jog alongside the aquarium tank with her younger self on his shoulders, chasing a giant ray, both of them laughing in glee. “I just haven’t seen him in while. That’s all.”

She could feel Gaius’s eyes on her, but he didn’t say anything more.

“Come on,” Diana nudged his shoulder with her own. “There’s more to see.”

They walked deeper into the aquarium, following Diana’s younger self and her father as they wandered through the winding halls of the Open Ocean exhibit.

_“Let’s go find Mom, Di,” Diana’s father says, once again setting her on the ground._

_“No! There’s still more fish to see in this area!” she protests, tugging on his fingers. “I haven’t even shown you the bluefin tuna!”_

_“The bluefin tuna, huh?” Her father grins, ruffling her hair. “Hey, speaking of tuna, what do you think about getting sushi tonight? If we tell the restaurant it’s your birthday, they’ll give you free mochi!!”_

_“DAD!” Diana gasps, clearly scandalized. “You can’t say that in here!”_

_“I’m just kidding, bubbles,” he chuckles, ducking to flick her chin with his finger. “The bluefin tuna will still be there after we find your mom. Besides, don’t you want to see what she got you from the gift shop?”_

_Diana’s mouth forms a perfect “O” and her eyes go wide. “Mom went to the gift shop?”_

_“It’s your birthday, isn’t it? You know your mom can’t go anywhere without finding something for you.” Her father barely finishes his sentence before Diana tightens her hold on him, heaving with all of her strength to pull him in the direction of the gift shop. He laughs, holding his ground for a few moments, before giving in, letting her guide the way._

“You were a handful, even then,” Gaius observed and Diana spared him a quick smile.

“Growing up as an only child, I was used to having all of the attention,” she chuckled, glancing over at him. He looked… softer in this light, awash in shades of blue. Peaceful even. No frowns and harsh edges.

“You turned out alright, I suppose,” Gaius teased and Diana rolled her eyes, although the smile still lingered on her lips.

“Yeah. I suppose I did.”

_“Mom!” Diana yells, releasing her father’s hand and taking off at full speed across the aquarium’s atrium to where she spots her mother, emerging from the gift shop._

_“Woah, there, slow down, Diana!” her mother laughs, squatting so her daughter can run into her arms. “You’ll wake the sleeping sharks.”_

_“Oh, right,” Diana nods, lowering her voice to a whisper. “So.”_

_“So?” Her mother grins, raising an eyebrow._

_“Dad said,” Diana leans in, speaking into her mother’s ear. “Dad said you got me something from the gift store.”_

_“Did he now?” Her mother says, smoothing back Diana’s hair, shooting her husband a look of mock disapproval. “Well, your father never quite learned to keep a secret.”_

_“It slipped out. It was the only way to convince her you were more important than a tuna fish,” her father shrugs at the same time Diana says, “So you_ did _get something?”_

_“Of course I did,” her mother smiles, pulling out a small box wrapped with ribbon from her pocket. “For you. Happy birthday, my love.”_

_Diana tears the ribbon off with a fervor that makes both of her parents laugh. When Diana takes off the lid of the box, she gasps. “Oh, Mom. It’s so pretty!”_

_She pulls out a silver charm bracelet, decorated with sparkling charms. A dolphin, an otter, a jellyfish, and a seahorse._

Diana glanced over at Gaius. He was staring at the memory with an odd expression on his face, the same charm bracelet clutched tightly in his hand, just by his chest, as if he had been inspecting it moments before. Diana gently unfurled his fingers, capturing his attention as she pulled the bracelet from his hand and gently released it into the air. They watched as it hung there, suspended for a moment in the watery light, then dispersed into flecks of silver and blue.

“Ready to go?” Diana asked, holding out her hand, palm facing upwards.

Gaius hesitated, glancing back once at the family huddled by the gift shop entrance. Then he nodded and lay his hand over hers.

* * *

Diana opened her eyes.

They were back in the hotel room. Gaius gasped beside her as he came back to himself, hands reaching out to steady himself. He gripped the bed sheets, looking around, blinking rapidly. Diana withdrew her hands and set them calmly in her lap.

When Gaius settled, he released the sheets and stared at the hand that had been holding the bracelet in wonder. Then his eyes traveled to meet Diana’s, still slightly awed. Without warning, he leaned forward, fingers outstretched.

Diana went still, breath caught in her throat as his fingertips brushed across her cheek. When he withdrew, she saw that they were wet.

They sat there for a few minutes in silence, neither knowing what to say and neither wanting to say anything at all. The silence that had lapsed was comfortable. Diana knew that when it broke, this moment of peacefulness between them would be over.

But nevertheless, as all fragile things must do, it broke.

“Thank you,” Gaius said at last, a sort of warmth in his gaze that Diana didn’t know how to interpret. “For showing me that.”

“Yeah,” she nodded, swallowing. It was time for her to go. There was nothing left for her to do. That was enough memory explanation for tonight. And if she was being honest, in light of recent revelations, acknowledgment of this bond between them, she was a little afraid to see what would happen if she stayed. “So, now you know what it will be like.”

She slid off the bed, feeling his gaze on her as she went. Even as she began to pace away, she got this aching feeling in her bones, as if even they wanted her to stay.

Diana was nearly to the door when she remembered. “I almost forgot to mention that we should probably leave Rome.”

“Why?” Gaius tilted his head, the movement purely feline. “Did you get a new lead?”

“No, nothing like that,” Diana amended. “If we’re going to do this memory stuff, it might also help if we go somewhere you don’t have a lot of attachment to. If your memories are stronger in places that meant something to you in the past, it can be overwhelming. We want to make sure that when we aren’t going through your memories, they stay out of the way.”

“That makes sense,” Gaius supposed, nodding slowly. He studied her, lip quirked. “Why do I get the feeling you’re hoping we get to go somewhere nice so you can travel?”

Diana couldn’t stop the soft laugh that bubbled up as she leaned against the door frame. “You’re absolutely right, but that doesn’t make my logic any less true. Plus, after all of this, I could use a place to relax until I get any more ideas about the other artifact I saw.”

“In that case,” Gaius said, sliding back into his usual cool demeanor as he lounged back on the bed. “Why don’t you just tell me where you want to go, and I’ll tell you if I’ve been there.”

As he stretched out, Diana realized for the first time, that he was shirtless. She stiffened, fighting down the blush that crept up her neck and decided to focus on his face. Diana swallowed the lump in her throat.

“How about Norway?”


	8. Chapter 7: Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out.

**_Bergen, Norway, 2042_ **

**_One week later_ **

Diana pulled herself and Gaius out of one of his memories with a gasp. She broke their physical connection and put her hand out to steady herself against the headboard of his bed, chest heaving. She glanced over at Gaius who looked just as disheveled as she felt.

“That one was…” Diana breathed, combing her hair back from her face. It was damp with sweat. Her whole body was.

“Rough,” Gaius finished, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes. He nodded, swallowing. “Yeah, I know.”

Diana closed her eyes for a second, taking comfort in the fact that they were safe in a cozy hotel in Norway, not in a burning village in Mydiea. When Diana felt certain that she was in better shape, she grabbed the two glasses of water―both nearly empty after a night delving into Gaius’s memories―off of the nightstand between their beds and handed one to Gaius before nursing the other one herself.

“I’ll be glad not to dream of that one again,” Gaius huffed after he had drained his glass. So far, Diana’s memory therapy had worked. None of the memories they had worked their way through over the last few days had resurfaced in his dreams. 

It was taxing for both of them, to willingly immerse themselves in so many horrific memories, but it was worth it if it meant never seeing them again. Diana might have been less inclined to work through Gaius’s memories at the rate they did if it hadn’t been for their bond. With increasing frequency, their dreams had begun to bleed together. It seemed as if the more time they spent together, the stronger the bond grew. Although at least now they had both gotten better at keeping most of their own thoughts and emotions to themselves during waking hours.

“Agreed.” Diana nodded, taking both of their empty glasses and setting them aside before she slumped against the pillows, exhausted.

“Thank you,” Gaius said softly, elbow propped against the headboard as he looked down at her. 

Diana knew he wasn’t just thanking her for the water. She simply nodded and waved her hand nonchalantly before closing her eyes. She just needed a moment of rest.

Golden light bloomed behind her eyes. She felt dewy grass beneath her feet. A cool breeze brushed against her cheek, carrying with it the smell of honeysuckle, roasted meats, and fragrant spices. She heard joyous music and the rise and fall of distant conversations.

Diana smiled softly, opening her eyes.

“What was that?” she asked, turning on her side and propping herself up on her forearm to face Gaius.

“Midsummer Night’s Eve in 1638,” Gaius replied, lips slightly curved at the memory. “That was a beautiful celebration. The shortest night of the year, but also one of the loveliest.”

“Can I see it?” Diana asked and Gaius nodded without hesitation, gently taking her wrist and pressing her fingers to his temple. 

After a quick stop in Gaius mind palace―he was getting better at pulling up his own memories―they stood in a moonlit field illuminated by golden lanterns and twinkling lights. _Fireflies_ , Diana realized, gaping at the scenery. There was a long wooden banquet table covered with all sorts of fruits, meats, and delicacies Diana couldn’t put a name to. The arms of a giant oak tree stretched overhead, decorated with elaborately designed luminaries. All around her, people roamed, skipped and danced in summery clothes that were fitting of the period. Diana watched as two little girls collapsed at the base of the tree and dumped an armful of flowers on the ground before braiding them into each other’s hair.

“It’s breathtaking,” Diana breathed, spinning in a slow circle. She reached out, her fingertips passing through a firefly as it lazily bobbed by. “These are all… vampires?”

“Mostly,” Gaius responded, glancing up at the star-filled sky. “Some human lovers were interspersed.”

Diana noticed a band of musicians playing joyous folk music next to a ring of people who clapped and whooped in delight on the other side of the tree. At the center, two figures half skipped, half hopped in a circle, their arms linked and faces flushed. “Gaius… is that _you_?”

“Hm?” he followed her line of sight, then let out an amused chuckle. “I told you I knew how to keep people entertained.”

“I didn’t know you knew how to dance,” Diana admitted, wandering closer to the circle.

Gaius rolled his eyes. “I’m nearly three thousand years old, Diana. I learned how to dance a long time ago.”

Diana watched the dancing couple, Gaius and another woman she didn’t recognize, both smiling broadly. “Who is she? The woman you’re dancing with?”

Gaius tilted his head, watching himself with a curious expression. “I don’t know. I don’t think I knew then, either. She was just someone I danced with. Everyone was mingling. It was like we were all friends.”

Diana’s brows drew together. “She’s… human. I can tell.”

“Hm. So she is,” Gaius hummed, shrugging. He cut Diana a sideways glance. “I didn’t always hate humans. There were times when we coexisted, places where the Order’s influence hadn’t reached. Where humans knew what we were and didn’t despise us.”

“Like now?” Diana questioned.

“Like now,” Gaius agreed, and she felt him brush against her mind. _Because of you._

Diana turned to him, lips parting to respond when there was a sudden _whoosh_ , like all of the air had been sucked from the atmosphere. Instantly, the sound vanished, leaving only a gaping silence. Diana’s brows knit. “What…”

“Diana…” Gaius’s eyes were wide and he took a half step towards her, arm outstretched. 

Diana glanced down at his hand, then to her feet. She gasped, voice high and frantic. “Gaius?”

There was a black patch of scorched earth beneath her feet. Diana watched in horror and confusion as the patch grew, radiating outward, grass shriveling up and turning to ash. She stumbled back, but wherever she stepped, flowers withered and died. Whatever this was, this living death, it was following her. 

“What is this?” Diana yelped as the field around her turned to dust. She looked to Gaius, who looked just as confused and disturbed as she felt. The vampires and humans around them silently continued to enjoy their celebration, unaffected by their surroundings. 

“I don’t know,” Gaius admitted, shaking his head. “This isn’t me. I’m not doing this.”

Diana continued backing up until her spine collided with the tree. She heard a loud _crack!_ and turned just in time to see the blackness spiderweb across its trunk, bleeding into the bark. As the darkness spread throughout the oak tree, the leaves crumpled and blew away on a phantom wind, all of the lanterns extinguishing at once. 

“Stay back!” Gaius gripped her shoulder, tugging her against his chest just as all of the stars in the sky disappeared and Gaius’s memory of the Midsummer’s Night celebration faded into nothingness, leaving only them, the moon, and―

“Demetrius,” Diana whispered as the blackened oak tree transformed before her eyes. “The Tree of Eternal Death. How…? What is this?”

Behind her, Gaius crumpled to the ground, clutching his head in pain. He groaned, deep and guttural. “Diana… his influence…I can’t....”

Diana sensed it, pulses of Demetrius’s power, rolling waves of death and decay. It was far stronger than it had been on the island two decades ago. And yet, it didn’t affect her. She stood tall, immune. Unfeeling.

Detached.

Diana turned and looked down at Gaius, whose head bowed was over his knees. Distantly, she felt her lip curl in disgust. 

_Coward. Monster. Murderer._

There was a bright flash and Diana saw herself several feet away, standing over the Black Shuck. Her other self looked over her shoulder at her, eyes glinting coldly, two swords in hand. Diana felt her katana materialize in her own hand, its weight familiar in her palm as she turned her gaze back to Gaius.

_Monstermurderermonstermurderermonstermurderer._

It was a savage song in her head, melodic, alluring, like a lover whispering in her ear. She gripped the hilt of her sword tighter, leather creaking. She was justice, death incarnate. Judge, jury, and executioner.

Gaius turned his face up towards her, agony clear across his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a hoarse croak came out. The pain was too much. He slumped forward, tears of blood trailing down his cheeks and dissipating into nothing once they hit the ground.

Something brushed against her mind, feeble. ... _Diana._

Diana… She turned that name over in her mind, testing it on her lips. Diana.

She frowned, grip loosening on her sword. Its sharp tip dipped towards the ground.

This wasn’t right. This wasn’t her. 

This wasn’t real.

She threw the sword away, chest heaving as if she had just run a marathon. She watched as its sharp edge glinted once in the artificial moonlight, then was consumed by the shadows. Diana shivered. What _was_ this?

Diana crouched before Gaius, lifting his chin with her hand. His eyes were reddened and cloudy with pain, but as she turned his face towards hers, she saw an ember of clarity spark to life. His lips parted, breath wheezing through.

“Shh. Don’t say anything,” she cooed, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and tucking him into her side. “I’m getting us out of here.”

Diana closed her eyes and found the invisible cords that tethered them to their real bodies. She anchored herself on the corporeal plane, distantly feeling Gaius’s bed beneath her, and pulled them out of Gaius’s mind.

When she opened her eyes, they were back in their hotel room, safe and sound.

Diana heard a groan and whipped her head in Gaius’s direction. He was still slumped against the headboard of the bed, elbow propped up. He held a hand to his forehead, wincing.

“Gaius!” Diana scrambled to her knees, pulling his hands away and gripping his face in her hands. “Are you hurt?”

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she searched his eyes. They were their usual clear blue, no traces of agony or blood to be seen. They widened slightly and he leaned back in surprise at her sudden attentiveness, his fingers fluttering over her wrists.

“I’m fine,” he breathed, eyes flitting over her face. “Just a headache. Are you… _you?”_

Diana nodded quickly. “Yes, I―” she swallowed, her mouth dry. “I don’t know what that was.”

“It felt like being on Demetrius’s island, except worse,” Gaius’s brows drew together. “I’ve never felt anything else like it… But we’re on the other side of the globe. How?”

“I don’t know,” Diana admitted, absently brushing her thumb over his cheek as she stared at the sheets, lost thought. Gaius shivered beneath her touch but didn’t pull away. “It was Demetrius’s influence, I’m certain of it. I felt it, but it didn’t affect me.”

“Diana.” Gaius’s fingertips skimmed along the back of her hand as he spoke, voice grave. Her eyes met his and she was surprised by the sorrow in them. The silent apology they offered. “I think it did.”

Diana’s heart stopped. Her body felt cold. 

_Monstermurderermonstermurderermonstermurderer._

Diana withdrew her touch, clutching her hands to her chest. They were trembling.

She had lost herself. _Again_. How? She was better than this. She was _not_ _—_

“Diana, that wasn’t you.”

 _Obviously,_ she wanted to snap and Gaius recoiled as if he had heard. Then Diana realized it was because, of course, he had. Nerves frayed, she had accidentally projected her thoughts down the bond in the height of her emotions.

“I meant,” Gaius said softly, gently pulling her hands away from her chest. His touch was warm, reassuring in a way it shouldn’t be. Not for her. Not from him. “I don’t think it’s your fault. I think the reason you became…” He frowned, searching for the right word. “... _detached_ is because something else is influencing you. I think it happened with the Black Shuck too. You aren’t losing your humanity. You’re being corrupted”

“The Tree of Eternal Death,” Diana whispered, remembering the way she had felt Demetrius’s influence wash over her, leaving her unfazed while Gaius crumpled in pain. Except it _hadn’t_ left her unfazed. It had fed into her, strengthened her, _hardened_ her into something awful. Diana shook her head. “No. The island is so far away. That doesn’t make sense. It can’t.”

“But it _does._ It has to,” Gaius insisted, squeezing her hand. “Look at yourself, Diana. Look how worried you are, how afraid you were of hurting _me_ , your _enemy_ . If you were losing your humanity, you wouldn’t care about any of that. You wouldn’t care about losing yourself the way you do. _Trust me_. I know what it is like.”

Diana opened and closed her mouth. “You’re not my enemy.”

Gaius blinked as if he hadn’t realized he had said that aloud. Then he nodded slowly, thumb brushing across her knuckles. “And I am grateful for that. Truly.”

They stared at each other for a long, heavy moment.

Then Diana glanced away, breaking the tension. “I still don’t understand how the Tree could be affecting me. We’re thousands of miles from the island. Other people would already be severely corrupted if his influence had spread so far.”

“You are of his blood, are you not?” Gaius questioned, brow raised. “His and Rheya’s? So perhaps you are linked to him. Psychically. You can feel his influence without needing to be physically near him. Whatever that was just now―whatever took over my memory―I think that was a result of Demetrius’s effect on you. We just happened to be in my mind when it happened, so I got pulled in with you.”

“But why now?” Diana wondered aloud, frustration coloring her voice. “We have lived over two decades in peace, and _now_ I feel its pull?”

“Unfortunately, two decades is nothing in the grand scheme of things. But I don’t know, Diana,” Gaius frowned, looking troubled. “This psychic stuff isn’t my forte. If I had to guess… maybe something has happened on the island.”

Diana sagged, suddenly exhausted. “This is… a lot to take in.”

Gaius nodded, glancing over at the sliding door that led to the balcony of their hotel room. It was still dark outside, but it had been a long night of going through Gaius’s memories. “I think it’s time for us to get some sleep, Diana. We’ll think more on this later.”

“Yeah,” Diana sighed, untangling her hands from his. “You’re right.”

She clambered out of his bed and crossed the room to hers, draning the curtains closed over the sliding door as she went. She collapsed into her bed, cocooning into the cool, cotton sheets and willed her heartbeat to slow, her mind to calm.

“Diana.” Gaius’s voice floated across the space between them, gentle but weary.

“Hm?”

“We’ll figure this out.” Then in her head, _I promise._

Diana pursed her lips and turned on her side, putting her back to him. _Goodnight, Gaius._

A beat of silence.

_...Goodnight, Diana._

Diana laid there, staring into the dark, still uneasy and unable to sleep despite Gaius’s assurances and the ache in her bones. Minutes passed and eventually, Diana heard Gaius’s breathing even out, slow and deep. He was asleep.

She closed her eyes and willed sleep to pull her into its blissful embrace, but still, it wouldn’t come. After a while, she gave up and slipped out of bed. She grabbed her phone and wrapped her comforter around her shoulders before slipping out onto the balcony, closing the sliding door quietly behind her. Sighing, Diana plopped down in one of the lounge chairs and nestled into her blanket, pulling out her phone.

Diana idly scrolled through her social media, restless, before eventually closing out of her apps and locking her device. She glared into the distance, frustrated with the turn of events. As if she needed another problem on her hands. Why did she feel Demetrius’s influence _now_ , after she had left New York in search of the artifacts?

Diana stiffened, hands tightening in the blanket. Was it possible the two events were related? That she felt Demetrius’s influence because of her search in Europe? Or perhaps… Perhaps she had dreamt of the artifacts _because of his influence_. Diana supposed the next question was whether the articles were supposed to further the corruption or combat it.

She unlocked her phone and opened her contact list until she found the one she was looking for. She stared at the name, then the number, thumb hovering over her screen. Then, Diana sighed and pressed the call button.

* * *

“ _Norway?_ What are you doing in _Norway?”_ Jax’s voice was incredulous over the phone and Diana winced, quickly toning down the volume. 

“I’ve never been,” Diana explained quietly, arms folded as she looked out at the slowly awakening town of Bergen. The sun was just cresting the horizon, and the clouds looked like cotton candy in the early morning light, lazily floating across the sky, their reflections rippling in the North Sea. “I’m at a dead-end right now. No new leads. So, I figured I would visit while I was out here. You know that I’ve always wanted to travel.”

Not necessarily a lie, but not the full truth either.

“I know,” Jax sighed and Diana could hear the weariness in his voice. “And I’m happy you’re out there doing your own thing and finding yourself―”

“Jax…” Diana rolled her eyes. She hated it when he said that. It made it sound like her journey away from New York City was some coming of age story. Although she supposed he wasn’t exactly wrong. Aside from searching for the artifacts, she admittedly had left to do some soul searching. To find out who she was on her own, outside of the city, apart from… apart from Adrian.

“―but we haven’t _really_ heard from you in almost a month, aside from your email updates,” Jax continued as if she hadn’t interrupted. “We know you can handle yourself, Diana, but we still worry. Because we care. And now you finally call and say you’re vacationing in Norway? What happened to those artifacts you were looking for?”

“Well, I found two of them already. The ones I sent you pictures of.” Diana chewed her lip, absentmindedly tugging on a strand of her hair. “I think there’s only one artifact left, Jax. Back in New York, I only dreamed of three. I thought that maybe once I started looking for them, I would develop a sort of knack for it and eventually find more.” Diana shook her head, some of her own frustration seeping into her voice. “But so far, it’s just been the three.”

“The amulet and the amphora,” Jax supplied, recalling the pictures she had emailed him, Kamilah, and Adrian. Diana had sent them about a week ago, with a brief update on her health and where she had found the artifacts, although she neglected to mention how she found them. Or with who. That was another problem. Diana had yet to tell anyone back in New York about traveling with Gaius. She didn’t know how to tell them, or what they would say when she did. She doubted it would be anything nice.

“Yes. Aside from that first reaction with the amulet, I still don’t know what they do. I’ve tried to get a read on them, but their presence is silent. It’s like whatever power they have has gone into hibernation. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”

“Hopefully good. Well, that’s two,” Jax continued, voice curious. “What’s the third?”

Diana closed her eyes, recalling the dream she had over a month ago in New York and thinking of the sketch she had made of it in her notebook. “It’s a sort of ritual knife. It’s got a long, curved blade and a hilt carved of bone. There’s some sort of design etched into the handle, but I couldn’t make out the details. Of all of my visions, this was the haziest.”

Jax let out a long breath. “There’s gotta be thousands of knives like that. I bet Kamilah probably has a couple in her collection.”

Diana huffed a laugh. “She _does._ Kamilah was the first person I consulted after I had the dream, but unfortunately, it wasn’t in her possession.”

“Tough luck.”

“Just can’t get a break,” Diana agreed, smiling despite everything. “But if I managed to find the other two, it’s only a matter of time before I find this one, too.” _Hopefully_ , she added to herself.

“Well, if anyone can find it, it’s you, Di,” Jax said, tone encouraging. Diana tried to feel half as confident in herself as he did.

“Yeah, well…” Diana’s smile fell and she stood, pacing to the edge of the balcony, leaning her forearms against the railing. “Listen, Jax… The reason I called is, well, I’m starting to think that the reason I started getting those visions wasn’t so I could find all these artifacts and keep them safe. I think… I think I’m supposed to find these three artifacts―and only these three―because I need them for something.”

“.. _.What?_ Diana, _no_ . What are you saying?” Jax’s disbelief was evident. Diana imagined he was pacing now. He had never been good at sitting still, the inclination to act overpowering the desire to think things through. “You’re _meant_ to find these three things and use them? For what?”

“I don’t know, Jax,” Diana groaned quietly. She didn’t. Diana wasn’t even sure if the artifacts were related to Demetrius’s growing influence on her, and if they were, she wasn’t sure why she was so inclined to find them. But she wasn’t going to get any answers unless she investigated further. “Look, can you just do me a favor?”

“Depends on what it is.” He sounded suspicious.

Diana sighed, pushing her fingers through her hair. “Can you look into any reports about suspicious activity around Demetrius’s island? More suspicious than usual. 

“Demetrius? Diana, what is this about?”

“I just… have a feeling.” She bit her tongue. It would do no good to worry Jax over a theory. If he knew that she was being corrupted by the Tree of Eternal Death―that twice now, she had become something cold, cruel, and unfeeling―he would come to her, likely bringing the calvary with him. And Diana wasn’t ready to face that quite yet. “Please. Just check it out for me. Don’t engage.”

There was a long silence after that. The only way Diana knew that Jax hadn’t hung up was the sound of his footsteps, soft in the distance. She waited, chewing her lip and tapping her finger along the rail as she gazed out at the wondrous city, wishing she could see it like this without feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“Fine,” Jax finally decided, evidently choosing not to press her for any further questions on the matter. “Just tell me one thing, Diana.”

“Ask away,” she replied, hoping she wouldn’t have to lie to him.

A pause. Then, “Why are you calling me?”

She blinked. That wasn’t what she expected. “Well, as you said, it’s been a while. I wanted to see how you’re doing. Keep you updated and ask you to―”

“No. I mean why are you calling _me_?” He sighed and Diana could hear the weariness in his voice. “You should talk to Adrian, Diana. I’m sure he would want nothing more than to hear from you. Just to know first-hand that you’re alright.”

“I know. You’re right, Jax,” Diana closed her eyes, massaging the bridge of her nose. This was not a conversation she was ready to have. “I just...I don’t know if I can. I don’t have the answers he wants right now.”

“Answers or no, he’d still want to hear from you. He just wants you to be safe and happy, regardless of what that means for the two of you,” Jax replied and Diana could hear the creak of his mattress as he sat down. “You know how the guy is. He’s a damn saint. Would put everyone else’s happiness before his own. Yours especially.”

Diana sighed, lips tugging into a frown. “Somehow, Jax, reminding me of that really isn’t helping.”

There was a soft chuckle. “Point is, Di, whatever answers you have for him, whenever you have those answers, he’ll live with it. And he’ll be fine. Avoiding this will only make it harder for you when you decide you’re ready to talk.”

Diana opened her eyes and stared long and hard out at the sea as it rippled beneath the morning light. She felt the sun’s gentle warmth on her face, reveling in the feel of it on her skin as she was reminded of a day, years ago, when she was an assistant, wandering the streets of New York City with her boss, enjoying daylight on borrowed time. She felt a pang of sadness, but at least it didn’t hurt. “Jax?”

“Yeah?”

“I hate when you’re right.”

Diana could almost hear the smile in his voice. “Good thing it doesn’t happen that often.”

“Alright,” Diana said, nodding to herself. “I’ll call him soon. Right now… I’m going to get some sleep. It’s been a long night.”

“You do that. I’ll talk to you later, Di. Try not to stay away _too_ long. I miss you too, you know.”

She smiled softly, a gentle sea breeze stirring her hair. “I know. I miss you.”

“Goodbye, Diana.”

“Goodbye, Jax,” Diana whispered and hung up the phone. She stood there for a little while longer, enjoying a few moments in the light of dawn. Perhaps one day, before they left Bergen, she would walk these streets in the sun and steal a moment of peace for herself. But not today. She felt the exhaustion, heavy in her bones, and her mind became hazy with the prospect of sleep. Finally, she could rest.

Diana took in a deep breath, scenting sea salt and woodsmoke in the cool air. Then she grabbed her blanket and retreated inside the hotel room, closing the door behind her. She slipped beneath her covers, wrapping them tightly around herself, and fell into a deep sleep, comforted by the steady heartbeat of the man in the bed beside hers.


	9. Chapter 8: Chosen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ancient creatures lurk in the forest.

**_Bergen, Norway, 2042_ **

The sun had already set long before Diana woke up from a deep and dreamless sleep. She stretched out amongst her tangled mess of blankets, pressing her face into her pillow as she yawned, joints popping. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up, glancing around the dark hotel room. Gaius’s bed was empty, a shallow impression in the mattress where he had slept. She wondered how long he’d been gone for.

She checked her phone for any updates from Jax, but there was nothing. Only a few pictures from Kamilah, updating her on a few new seasonal additions to her garden. Diana smiled softly and replied before tossing her phone on the bed and retreating to the bathroom for a hot shower. Afterward, she lounged in a swivel chair in a bathrobe, feet kicked up on the desk as she flipped through a Norwegian tourist magazine. And then another. And then a pamphlet.

Sighing, set all of the booklets she had perused on the desk and absentmindedly spun in circles in her chair. It was yet another night in Bergen and she hadn’t learned anything new about the third artifact or the Tree of Death. She supposed she should be glad for the lull in activity, and in a sense, she was grateful for the downtime. It had allowed her to catch up on sleep, which she definitely needed after long hours of sifting through Gaius’s memories.

But now, she was restless. Perhaps Jax had rubbed off on her in the last twenty years.

Diana rolled her shoulders, turning her gaze to the glass sliding door and the town beyond, the dark sea glittering with reflected golden lights. Perhaps it was time for her to get out and stretch her legs. Her eyes flicked to the cover of one of the magazines she had read, its glossy surface picturing a waterfall surrounded by lush foliage.  _ The Bogstifossen. _

She could go for a hike.

Diana tugged on the psychic bond as she got to her feet and crossed the room to her duffle bag of clothes.  _ How’s your night going? _

_ …You must be very bored if you’re asking me that,  _ Gaius replied coolly and Diana rolled her eyes.

_ Guilty,  _ she admitted and she heard him chuckle, the sound silky and low in her head.  _ Find any trouble? _

_ No. Quiet night; the creatures here are rather benign. Although I did pick up some supplies. _

_ Anything sweet for me?  _ Diana asked, pulling out a pair of thick, wool leggings, a long-sleeved shirt, and a weatherproof puffer jacket. Having a bit of sweet tooth, he had certainly read up on all of the most popular Norwegian desserts over the last few days, although she had yet to try any.

_ I said I got supplies, not your groceries, _ Gaius snipped and Diana was willing to bet he was rolling his eyes.  _ There’s nothing out here for me tonight. I’m heading back. _

_ See you.  _ Diana bid him goodbye, but he dropped the connection, leaving her without a reply.

“Typical,” she huffed before slipping into the bathroom to get ready.

Diana had just finished brushing her teeth and sat down on the foot of her bed to lace up her boots when Gaius returned, a large paper bag tucked beneath his arm. He looked her up and down, a single eyebrow raised as he closed the door behind him.

“And where are you going?” he questioned, setting the bag on the desk in front of her. “On an expedition?”

He was teasing her, but Diana let it go. “Of sorts,” she answered, swiping a magazine off of the desk and tossing it to him. “Going to take a hike. Find a waterfall or something,” Diana shrugged, peering into the paper bag he left on the table. She raised a brow, hefting out a gallon bag of blood. “Um, do they just sell these in supermarkets now?”

Gaius rolled his eyes. “I got it from the local butcher.” He inspected the magazine, humming thoughtfully to himself before tossing it on the bed. “I’ll go with you. To the waterfall. It’s been a while since I’ve been in these woods.”

“Alright,” Diana shrugged, relieved that she didn’t have to ask him to come with her. Odd as it was, she wasn’t afraid to admit that she had grown used to his company. Had even come to enjoy it sometimes.

Gaius gave her an odd look, as if he had been expecting her to protest, but as quickly as it had come, the expression faded and he withdrew another paper bag from inside of his coat. “Here,” he said, tossing it to her. “For you.”

Diana sent him a question glance as she caught the parcel, but as soon as she caught a whiff of vanilla and cardamom, she abandoned all suspicion and opened the bag. She beamed. “You brought back pastries for me?”

Inside sat about half a dozen shard-shaped cookies edged in ridges and dusted with powdered sugar as well as several thick, flower-shaped cookies, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. She closed her eyes and inhaled deep, stomach growling in response to the delicious aroma that flooded her senses. 

“There’s your something sweet. The baker said these are fattigmann and rosette cookies,” he said casually, then seeing her expression, he lowered his brows. “Don’t give me that look. I just used the extra cash you gave me.”

Diana smiled slightly as she crossed the room to him and pulled out one of the rosette cookies. She grabbed his hand and pressed it into her palm before taking one for herself. “Thank you.”

Gaius’s lips parted as his gaze flickered from Diana’s face to the cookie in his hand, as if surprised by this small gesture of kindness. Then he shook his head and turned away, biting the cookie as he shrugged off his coat and swapped it for another jacket that was better fit for hiking. “Hmph.”

Diana huffed a laugh and rolled up the bag, setting it with the rest of their snacks. “I’ll save these for later. Ready to go?”

Gaius merely grunted in response and she took that as a yes. She glanced at her sword, debating whether or not to take it before deciding against it. Instead, she grabbed a pair of daggers instead and slid them into her boot, just in case.

“So we don’t have a repeat of the tunnel,” Gaius said, holding out a cylindrical shaped object. A flashlight. Diana smirked, then took it, placing it in her pocket.

“Right, then,” she declared, zipping up her jacket and striding towards the door. “Let’s go hiking.”

* * *

Diana wasn’t sure when was the last time she had been deep in the wilderness.

Growing up, she loved the outdoors. She loved the scent of moss and wet soil, loved the way the leaves whispered when they played with the wind. But for the last leg of her life, she’d grown more accustomed to concrete jungles, the scent of sewage, and the sound of idle engines and blaring horns.

Being out here in some distant forest, thousands of miles away from home… it reminded her of simpler times.

This forest was ancient. Diana could feel it in her bones. Even in the dark, the forest seemed to be breathing, feeling, watching. The thought that it was alive didn’t unnerve her nearly as much as she thought it would. Diana knew very little about Norway or Scandinavian mythology, but she had a suspicion that whatever creatures roamed these lands were good-natured―at least most of them, anyway. It felt as if the forest wanted them here.

The air seemed to hum, leaving a metallic taste coating her tongue. Far in the distance, thunder grumbled with the promise of rain, and with that, renewal.

_ You seem...content _ , Gaius wondered inside her mind, although he showed no indication of having paid her any attention as he trekked ahead of her, following an overgrown path.

_ I like it here,  _ Diana admitted, reaching out to stroke the spine of a fern that stretched its fronds in front of her.  _ It’s peaceful. You’d never even know what was going on in the rest of the world if you stayed here. _

_ I see what you mean. I imagine if you wanted to go somewhere you would never be found, this would be the place to be,  _ Gaius hummed thoughtfully, tone reflective.  _ These forests have been here long before us. They will be here long after. _

Diana wondered if that sort of philosophy retained to her now too.

They continued on in silence for sometime, the trail they followed eventually bringing them alongside a small river. Inexplicably drawn to the water, Diana paused at the grassy bank and knelt down to dip her hand into the stream, feeling the current surge against her palm. The water was freezing cold, but in it, Diana sensed immense power, ancient and pure. Through it, Diana sensed everything the river connected. She closed her eyes, seeing the plants it watered, the animals it hydrated, the fish it sheltered.  _ Life. _

_ We’re not far now,  _ Gaius said. _ The waterfall is just ahead… _

Diana heard him stop, as if just realizing she wasn’t following him anymore. Footsteps soft on the mossy ground, Gaius backtracked. She felt his hand on her shoulder as he crouched beside her.

_ Diana… look. _

Confused, she withdrew her hand, resting her forearm on her knee and opened her eyes. Across the river, deep in the shadows of a massive yew tree, lurking around its trunk, were three sets of tiny, glowing eyes. She inhaled sharply through her nose, legs tensing to stand, but Gaius’s hand held her in place.

Diana flicked her eyes to him, questioning. He caught her gaze and held a single finger to his lips, then nodded towards the hidden creatures on the other bank.  _ Trust your senses, Diana _ , he advised.  _ Breathe. What did you think about the forest? _

_ That it’s good,  _ Diana replied, sucking in a deep breath. As she did, she felt the power beneath her skin dissipate. She hadn’t even realized she had called it to her in the first place.  _ And kind. _

_ Yes,  _ Gaius said, squeezing her shoulder in approval.  _ Now, watch. Listen. _

Diana nodded silently, doing as he said. She slowed her breathing and focused, tuning out her own heartbeat. She heard Gaius’s beside her, calm and steady, the rushing river, the rustling leaves, the whispering wind, and amidst it all, the sound of small creatures, moving all around them.

Slowly, more eyes blinked open around them, glowing like little stars in the shadows. Diana thought back to the feeling she had earlier, as if the forest were alive and watching them, and realized that, of course, it had been.

_ What are they? _ she asked, placing her hand on Gaius’s knee, partially to steady herself and partially just to feel his warmth on her skin.

_ The Little Folk,  _ he answered, hand sliding down to the small of her back, an action for an action, a touch for a touch. The little ways they communicated, she thought absently and without consequence, as if being in each other’s heads wasn’t enough.  _ Small fairies. In the old days, they used to bring gifts to travellers.  _

_ And now? _

_ And now they like to keep to themselves. Humans don’t even know they exist. I imagine the last vampire to have seen one did so over a century ago. _ Diana stared in awe as more eyes looked back at them. She sensed their interest in her, their curiosity.  _ They only reveal themselves to their own kind and other creatures of magic. Or those they deem to be even better. _

Her brows drew together.  _ Like what? _

A pause. Then,  _ Like goddesses. _

Diana stiffened, pulling away. Did he mean  _ her? _ Judging by the look he gave her, intense and challenging, she assumed he did. Diana shook her head, pursing her lips.  _ No, I’m not… I’m not a goddess, Gaius. I don’t  _ want _ to be. _

He stared at her for a moment longer, expression unreadable. In this lighting, his eyes were an enticing shade of midnight blue that Diana thought she could drown in if they had belonged to any other man in any other place.

Gaius turned away, expression softening.  _ Regardless of what you want or don’t want, they seem to disagree. _

Diana followed his line of sight to the other side of the bank where a few glowing eyes peered out at them over a rock at the water’s edge. A minuscule arm reached over the top of the rock and nudged something forward before darting back into the shadows.

It was a crown, woven out of willow twigs and vines, laced through with bluebells and baby’s breath. Diana stared at her, a lump in her throat, as she fully felt the weight of the dozen sets of eyes on her, her wonder transformed into something indescribable that made her chest tight.

Slowly, so as not to frighten the Little Folk, Diana stood, Gaius’s hand slipping to his side as she sought the spot where the river was shallowest and crossed. She shivered as the cold current went rushing around her calves, both from the temperature and the way her own power awakened. All at once, she was both bleeding power into the water and drawing upon it, whatever she possessed mingling with something far older and more legendary. As she crossed to the other side, she felt more of the forest come to life around her, as if other creatures she could not see were suddenly watching.

As Diana reached the rock the Little Folk had set her crown upon, she peered around it, although her benefactors had retreated from the water’s edge, preferring to watch her from afar. Chewing her lip, she picked up the wreath of vines and twigs, careful not to destroy it. It was light and finely made, little wisps of moss and lichen clinging to its edges. Diana couldn’t help the small frown that tugged at her lips. This crown was far too delicate and beautiful to be held in hands as bloody as hers.

When Diana looked up, the eyes had all disappeared, the Little Folk vanished. They had given their gift to her. They would not let her give it back.

What had she gotten herself into? Or had this been a long time coming? A result of the power she assumed, the ancient blood in her veins? Diana had always thought her lineage and history of vampires had been shrouded in darkness and violence, but perhaps there was some bond to be had between the creatures old, who had seen the world rise and fall together. Who would see it rise and fall again.

“Why me?” she whispered into the forest, but her question went unheard.

Diana gently tucked the crown into her pack, careful not to break it. She couldn’t bring herself to leave it behind, but she also couldn’t bring herself to wear it either, beautiful as it was. Not until she was certain she had deserved it.

After crossing back to the other side of the river where Gaius stood, watching her with an odd expression. Diana opened and closed her mouth, unable to put her thoughts and feelings into words. What had just happened? “Gaius, I―”

She cut herself off abruptly and they both turned in unison, facing upstream. There was… music, suddenly. A long, drawn out note, and then a flurry of faster, higher notes that gradually fell back into that long lapse and began again. It sounded as if someone had been playing an instrument―a violin perhaps, although the music was far more upbeat―just a little ways up the river.

Diana and Gaius exchanged a look, then followed the sound of music.

_ What is it?  _ Diana questioned as they hastened along the path, weaving in between trees and shrubs. Diana could hear the roar of the waterfall, it’s sound increasing with the music that continued to play. It had broken free of its joyful, repetitive tune, the music transforming itself into something slower, more curious. Diana didn’t know a lot about music, especially folk songs, like the one they heard now, but she knew that she had never heard anything more lovely than this.

_ I’m not completely sure, but I have a suspicion. _

Diana didn’t miss the excitement that colored his tone. It was not an expression she was used to him showing, which only piqued her interest further.

At last, they finally came to the foot of the Bogstifossen, the waterfall they had been searching for. Here, the music was loudest, cutting through the thunder of falling water with ease. It didn’t take long enough for Diana to see why.

_ It’s… a man? _ she asked, perplexed. What appeared to be a bearded man with long, dark hair stood in the river at the base of the waterfall, seemingly immune to the thousands of gallons of water that crashed around him, surging around his bare torso.

_ A water spirit,  _ Gaius amended, and Diana noted that he was practically a walking encyclopedia about all things mystical and supernatural.  _ The Fossegrimen. _

Diana watched the Fossegrimen with increasing curiosity.  _ A good water spirit? _

_ Neither good nor evil. He simply is, _ Gaius replied and Diana had to refrain from rolling her eyes. How many times had she heard  _ that _ before? Her lip quirked down. Hell, how many times had she said that herself about something? She supposed life only became more gray the longer you lived it.  _ He lives to play his fiddle, and that’s all. Sometimes he teaches aspiring musicians. For a price of course. _

_ What, like their soul? _ Diana raised her eyebrows at him and was surprised when Gaius laughed softly, eyes sparkling.

_ No, nothing like that. A piece of meat will do.  _ Gaius tilted his head as he leaned against a tree and watched the Fossegrimen with naked fascination. His foot tapped against the loamy soil, the sound muffled by moss.  _ I had heard about how magnificent his songs were. I never imagined I would ever hear them. _

Diana’s eyes flicked between Gaius and the water spirit, noting that Gaius seemed more than content to watch from afar.  _ Don’t you want to meet him? _

Gaius glanced at her sidelong for a moment, then closed his eyes and leaned his head against the tree’s trunk.  _ Honestly, no. It’s possible he may leave once we make ourselves known. And this is enough for me. To hear the songs of legend. Some things are best left undisturbed and observed from afar. _

Diana nodded at this, leaning against the tree beside him. Her eyes wandered from the Fossegrimen, to the majestic waterfall, to the sky full of diamonds above, her view fractured by the winding branches of the yew tree. An entire, enchanting song passed before she spoke down the bond again.  _ You love music. _

_ Is that a question or a statement? _

_ An assumption, _ Diana clarified, bumping her shoulder against his.  _ Am I wrong? _

_...No. You aren’t.  _ Gaius exhaled softly beside her and Diana felt some of her own tension dissipate as well.  _ I have always enjoyed it. Over the years, it is the one thing I have never tired of. _

_ Do you play? _ she questioned, glancing down at his hands. His fingers were long fine-boned. She tried to imagine them holding an instrument rather than a sword and found that this possibility wasn’t as outlandish as she once would have thought.

_ A little. The pianoforte.  _ Gaius cracked an eye open, studying her. He smirked to himself before closing his eye again and shifting against the trunk.  _ One day, I’ll show you. Perhaps. _

Diana hoped that “perhaps” would become a promise.

A few minutes passed again before Diana once again broke their silence, starting to get a little restless.  _ Why do you think he’s here? _

Gaius opened his eyes, fixing her with a look.  _ You’re just as bad as Matsuo. You can’t sit still. _

_ Leaning against a tree isn’t exactly uncomfortable,  _ Diana snapped back, pacing away from the tree until she found a fallen log to perch on. She set her pack on the ground between her feet and leaned her elbows on her knees.  _ But seriously. You said you never thought you would get to hear the Fossegrimen, but here he is. Why? _

_ I thought you were the one who said not to look a gift horse in the mouth.  _ Gaius rolled his eyes, sitting beside her on the fallen tree.  _ Or some butchered version of that. _

She narrowed her eyes.  _ Gaius. _

He huffed, tilting his head to the side.  _ Fine. I don’t think you would like the truth, so I’ll offer you a lie: mere coincidence. Perhaps he’s got a schedule he follows, travelling around Norway to play at the bottom of different waterfalls and our schedules just so happened to line up. Lucky us. _

Diana could hear the sarcasm dripping off his words and she glared.  _ Gaius. _

_ You want my honesty, then? _ Gaius teased, lip quirking. He shrugged and faced the waterfall again, looking at the Fossegrimen, deep in consideration. _ Very well, Diana,  _ he sighed into her mind before she could bite his head off.  _ I think he is playing for you. _

Diana frowned and glanced down at her bag. She unzipped it, carefully withdrawing the crown the Little Folk had given her. Diana sighed to herself, turning the crown in her hands as the music washed over them and Gaius returned his attention to the Fossengrimen. As she studied the crown, she couldn’t help but wonder why the forest had apparently chosen her and what for. 

Whatever it was, she hoped that when the time for answers came, she would not disappoint. 

* * *

Back in the hotel room in Bergen, Diana was just climbing into bed, the first hints of dawn peeking in through the sliding door curtains, when her phone rang. Diana glanced at the caller ID, rubbing her eyes.

Jax.

She sat up straight, feeling Gaius’s questioning stare on her from where he sat in his own bed as she answered the call. “Hello?”

“Diana,” came Jax’s voice, tone serious. “I did what you asked and looked into the islands around Demetrius’s.”

Diana’s heart was in her throat. “And?”

“And there are reports of entire communities on the closest islands going Feral. They were mature, isolated communities made up entirely of adults and their elderly, so no children were involved, but…” Jax trailed off, clearly agitated and upset. 

Diana’s entire body went cold. “Entire communities,” she echoed, her voice hoarse. “Feral.

Across the room, Gaius stiffened, his eyes burning into her skin.

“Diana, whatever this is, it’s not good.”

“What’s the radius?” she asked, gripping her phone so hard her knuckles were white.

“About fifteen miles,” Jax replied and her stomach plummeted. “The islands in the region were either scarcely populated or completely uninhabited. But Diana, you need to tell me what this is, or what you think it is so I can tell Kamilah and Adrian. They have to know.”

“Yes,” Diana breathed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she felt a headache coming on. The back of her skull was prickling with such an intensity, she had to close her eyes, fighting to stay focused. “We think it’s Demetrius. For some reason, his influence is growing, and I can feel it sometimes. Gaius thinks it’s because I’m his descendant, but―”

Gaius inhaled sharply and Diana realized her mistake too late, breaking off mid-sentence.

“ _ Gaius? ‘We?’” _ Diana winced, Jax’s shouting adding to the pounding in her head. “Diana,  _ what the hell? _ You didn’t tell me you were―”

“Now’s not the time to go into that, Jax,” Diana cut him off, opening her eyes and glaring at the corner of her bed. “Listen. Tell Adrian and Kamilah that Demetrius’s influence is growing. I still haven’t figured out why, but I feel like finding these artifacts will help me stop it. They have to. But I need you guys to evacuate the islands nearest to Demetrius’s zone, just in case. I don’t know how fast it’s spreading, but I can’t risk any lives.”

“Diana―”

“Please, Jax,” she pleaded, a spike of pain shooting through her skull. Distantly, she heard Gaius swear as if he felt it too.

_ What the hell?  _ he snapped in her head and Diana could only shrug helplessly. There was too much going on at once.

“I promise, I’ll explain everything in due time, but right now you have to tell Kamilah and Adrian and I have to go,” Diana said quickly, tossing back the sheets and climbing out of bed. She was moving on instinct, driven by the tingling sensation that always preceded a vision. 

“Fine,” Jax replied, not sounding very happy about it all. “I’ll talk to the others and we’ll figure out a game plan. But then, you’ll talk.”

“Promise,” Diana replied, crossing the room to the closet and wrenching the door open. “Call me later, okay? I have to go. Bye, Jax.”

Diana hung up, tossing her phone on to Gaius’s bed, which was closer to where she now stood.

“Diana?” he asked, confusion and concern coloring his voice at the phone call and her erratic movements.

But Diana didn’t respond, all of her focus trained on the amphora, which they had hidden with the amulet in the back of the closet. The prickling sensation intensified and Diana knew with utmost certainty that it was the ancient vase that was causing all of this commotion in her head.

It was finally ready to talk.


	10. Chapter 9: The Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana delves into the past.

**_Bergen, Norway, 2042_ **

Diana stared down at the amphora, partially hidden by clothes in the back of the closet. Her chest was heaving as she glared at the item, her head pulsing with pressure.  _ You wanted my attention so badly?  _ she thought, kneeling down.  _ You have it. _

“Diana, wait—” Gaius protested and Diana was distantly aware of sheets rustling and the thud of his feet hitting the ground as she reached forward and grabbed the amphora.

_ She is back in Rome, but not the Rome she knows. _

_ She stands in a grand chamber, surrounded by marble pillars. Fires burn in sconces, the only source of light in the otherwise dark room. Through the skylights in the vaulted ceiling, she can see thousands of stars, glittering in their full glory in the absence of light pollution. At the front of the room sits a throne carved of the same white marble as the pillars, detailed with gold leaf.  _

_ At the base of the stairs that lead to the throne’s platform are three kneeling figures, their dark hair long and unbound, laced through with feathers and bits of bone. Diana moves towards them, studying the hides they wear for clothing, the white paint that embellishes their troubled faces. An old man, a middle-aged woman, and a younger woman. Somehow, she knows three generations kneel before her, made obvious by the resemblance between their features. Honeyed skin, high cheekbones, and eyes as dark as the night. _

_ A sudden bang draws Diana’s attention to the other side of the hall in the direction from whence she came. Double doors swing open, moonlight pooling on the floor as two men and a boy of about fourteen stride in, the eldest and youngest wearing cloaks of the richest red over their togas, while a river of deep Tyrian flows behind the third man. The three men cross to the throne, passing through Diana as if she were nothing. She supposed she is. This is only a vision. _

_ The eldest and youngest Romans take their place on the sides of the throne, hands clasped before them as the man in purple sits, setting his elbow on the marble arm and resting his pointed chin atop his fist. He gazes down his aquiline nose at the three figures that kneel before him, eyes assessing. _

_ “Emperor Aurelius,” the oldest man says, bowing his head in deference, touching his finger to his brow. Beside him, the two women do the same, averting their gazes to the floor. “The followers of Elah-Gabal are at your service.” _

_ Judging by the way his words do not match the movements of his mouth, Diana knows they are speaking some other language—probably Latin—but her powers are translating for her. _

_ The emperor holds his stare for a few moments more, studying each of the kneeling individuals, silently relishing their recognition of his power. Then he nods, reclining in his throne. “Rise, Samas of Clan Emesa. Tell me. What news have you of the Vessel of Gabal?” _

_ Samas stands, leaning against a weathered staff. “The Vessel is nearly complete,  _ Sacratissime imperator.”  _ Most Sacred Emperor.  _

_ “Good. After this, Clan Emesa will never go wanting for anything. A token of my gratitude,” Aurelius remarks, glancing at the young man cloaked in crimson on his left. “I still have much to teach Severus Alexander before he is ready to rule.” _

_ “Yes,” Samas agrees, nodding to the young man who Aurelius had marked as his heir. “I am certain that with your guidance, Imperial Heir Alexander will make a fine ruler. However,” he adds, drawing the sharp attention of Aurelius once more. “There are some risks you must understand before the Vessel is completed. I do not pretend to know the intricacies of its creation, but my daughter does.” _

_ Aurelius follows Samas’s hand, eyes falling on the women kneeling beside Samas. His lips thin. “Rise and present yourselves. Both of you.” _

_ At his behest, the two women stand, touching two fingers to their brows again. The eldest of the two speaks, “Imperator Aurelius. I am Atargatis, and this is my daughter, Astarte.” _

_ Aurelius merely nods, then waves his hand towards her. “Speak freely, Atargatis. What risks do you speak of?” _

_ “The Vessel of Gabal,” she begins, voice grave. “It requires a sacrifice before it can truly be used.” _

_ “A sacrifice of what?” _

_ “Souls,” Atargatis answers, her tan skin pale, even in the firelight. “The souls of forty innocents in exchange for one. Once their blood is spilled, the Vessel will be complete _ —”

_ Atargatis cuts herself off as the Emperor begins to violently cough, covering his mouth with his white sleeve as his body convulses. His coughs echo throughout the stone hall as the others avert their gaze to the floor out of respect. When the Emperor pulls his arm away, Diana sees that the sleeve of his robe is speckled with blood. _

_ “So be it,” Aurelius barks, his voice gruff, eyes burning anew with conviction and desperation. Beside him, the young Heir, Alexander, pales, clearly disturbed. “My men will do it. Magistrate Cicero here will coordinate with you,” the Emperor waves his hand again, indicating the older man robed in crimson on his other side. “Cicero, see to it that the Emesa have everything they need.” _

_ “As you wish,  _ Sacratissime Imperator, _ ” Magistrate Cicero replied, bowing his head just as the scene begins to shift, the figures of the Emperor’s ensemble dissipating like mist in the wind. _

_ Darkness and blurs of color whirl around Diana, faces coming in and out of focus. Terrified screams echo in the distance, the sound mixing with whispered words she can’t make out, even in their urgency. _

_ When the colors and shadows coalesce into something stable, Diana finds herself in a network of underground tunnels carved from dirt and stone. With a start, she realizes she is in the same one she traveled through with Gaius during their search for the amphora. _

_ She glances around her. Behind her, there is only darkness and the sound of the underground river. Ahead, she can see a distant, golden light, and decides to go in that direction when she hears voices. _

_ “This is wrong, Astarte,” someone whispers, the voice low and distinctly male. “We must stop this." _

_ “I agree, but how?” another voice, a woman’s, replies. “The Magistrate would never let your father’s ashes out of sight.” _

_ Diana follows the conversation to the mouth of the tunnel, right where it meets the large cavern the river runs through. There, she sees Alexander, the Imperial Heir, a few years older than he was in the last vision Diana saw. In front of him is the young Emesa woman, Astarte, holding a torch. Both look tense. Troubled. _

_ “Then we must destroy it,” Alexander dictates, voice filled with fervor. “The Vessel cannot bring him back. It is unnatural _ —”

_ “No,” Astarte interrupts, shaking her head. “We cannot. If we destroy the Vessel, then all that was done for it will have been for nothing. The lives lost. My  _ mother’s  _ life _ — _ ” _

_ “You suggest we keep it then? For something else?” Alexander snaps, clearly repulsed at the notion. _

_ “I don’t know, Alexander,” Astarte winces, taking a step back. “But we can’t destroy it. It’s too powerful. If we stop this, you will be Emperor. It may be useful to you one day.” _

_ “I will  _ never _ use such dark and twisted magic,” he hisses, lip curled in disgust.  _

_ “Our magic is not dark and twisted,” Astarte snarls, equally frustrated now. “These are the manipulations of your father.” She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself. “Regardless. Too much has been sacrificed for this. I do not want the Vessel to be used, but I will not let you destroy it.” _

_ “And what if it falls into the wrong hands? Into those who wish to use it for evil?” Alexander begins to pace, brows drawn and lips a thin line. “I have heard things. Horrible things. There are dark creatures, Astarte, that feed on blood and thrive on death. Some of them whisper of their maker, someone they call the First. They talk of bringing her back.” _

_ “Then must take precautions to ensure that does not happen,” Astarte whispers, then shakes her head, at a loss. “Bloodthirsty creatures are not so uncommon in the world of men, either.” As she speaks, she draws her fur cloak aside, revealing the blades strapped to her belt. “And we will deal with them tonight.” _

_ Alexander’s brown eyes widen, his own hand resting atop the hilt of his gladius. “You mean to kill them. Even your grandfather.” _

_ Astarte nods, her dark eyes gleaming with sorrow and rage. “I mean to stop them, by whatever means necessary. Even if it means bringing death upon them.” She lets her cloak fall, covering her weapons. “I will do what I must to make up for not stopping this sooner. For my mother.” _

_ Diana watches in silence as Alexander assesses the young woman before him, his eyes searching her face. Then he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath as if drawing up all of his courage inside of him, and nods. “Then I will stand beside you. We will stop Cicero and your grandfather’s ritual. My father will not cheat death tonight. And Atargatis, Astarte, will be avenged. The rest, we will figure out later.” _

_ “Thank you, Alexander,” Astarte breathes, before kneeling, touching two fingers to her brow. “Sacratissime Imperator.” _

_ Alexander startles, clearly moved by her gesture. Then, he drops to a knee, reaching out a hand to cup the back of Astarte’s neck, and presses his forehead to hers. Diana turned away and closed her eyes, knowing this is a memory but still feeling as if she was intruding on something private as Alexander whispers, “You are my equal, Astarte. Do not kneel before me.” _

_ Diana’s own cheeks flush at the sentiment and she keeps her eyes closed until the sounds of their voices and the river fade to nothingness. _

_ When she opens her eyes, the underground river has disappeared and she finds herself in the ritual room where she and Gaius had discovered the amphora. Dozens of candles light the room, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Incense burns beside small clusters of bone in the offering holes that are carved into the walls. At the center of the room is the marble platform with stone men carved into the sides. On top sits a small wooden box and beside it, the amphora. _

No,  _ Diana realizes, inhaling sharply.  _ The Vessel of Gabal. 

_ Stationed at the chamber’s entrance are four soldiers in Roman armor, each armed to the teeth. Several more guards, including a few members of the Emesa clan, are stationed around the room. Diana takes note of Alexander and Astarte, who stand together against a wall on the fair side of the room, their faces carefully neutral. Magistrate Cicero stands in the corner, looking far too eager, and Samas stands beside the platform, eyes closed as he murmurs something in a lost language that isn’t automatically translated for Diana. _

_ Diana watches as Samas undoes the latch of the wooden box and opens it, revealing a pile of ashes inside. The ashes of Emperor Aurelius.  _

_ As Samas removes the lid of the Vessel and prepares to pour the ashes in, Diana notices Alexander and Astarte glance at each other, their hands moving to the weapons concealed beneath their clothes, preparing to strike when _ —

_ Screams shatter the silence and everyone in the chamber, Diana included, instantly turns towards the entrance where the guards are  _ being torn apart _. _

_ Samas sets the box and lid down, backing away in horror as each of the four guards are quickly silenced, their bodies dropping to the floor, and several other figures step into the room, hands dripping blood. _

_ Diana’s heart races as she takes in their fangs. Their red eyes. Vampires. _

_ The lead vampire, a woman with long golden hair, steps forward, eyes flicking from the Vessel, to Aurelius’s ashes, to Samas. “Sorry to interrupt, witch,” she croons, slowly striding towards the old man as he backs away. “But you have something we need. Thanks to your magic, the First will walk again.” _

_ Alexander draws his gladius, lips drawn into a snarl. “Demons.” _

_ The blonde vampire turns her gaze to him, tilting her head curiously. Slowly, a chilling smile spreads across her lips, fangs glinting in the firelight. “The young Alexander,” she hums, adjusting her trajectory to stalk towards him as more vampires file into the chamber. “My condolences for your late father.” _

_ Diana watches with baited breath as Astarte draws her own blades, stepping forward. “Do not come any closer.” _

_ The vampire pauses, gaze shifting between Astarte and Alexander. Then she bends at the hip, arm sweeping out and long hair brushing the ground in a mocking bow. She looks up at Alexander, eyes narrowing as her smile turns vicious. “Long live the Emperor.” _

_ Then she lunges, swift as a shadow, a stake suddenly appearing in her pale hand. Astarte counters her, bringing up one of her own daggers as the rest of the vampires lunge into the fight.  _

_ Samas is among the first to die. Then most of the soldiers. A good deal of the vampires. Magistrate Cicero, as well, although he did not go down without a fight. _

_ After a while, only Alexander, Astarte, the lead vampire, and a few other vampires are left. _

_ The two humans are a whirlwind of steel, fighting with a fury that is admirable in the face of their opposition. In one move, Astarte plunges a dagger through the eye of one vampire, kicks another, then rips her dagger free from the eye socket of the first and flings it with deadly accuracy into the chest of a third. _

_ Alexander battles the lead vampire, who is clearly far more experienced and risky than any of the others. She meets him blow for blow, taunting him all the way, but he does not waver. _

_ “You impress me, Alexander,” the vampire grins, ducking a blow that was meant to sever her head. “Perhaps, instead of killing you, I’ll Turn you instead. Then we will resurrect our Goddess and you will see the might of the First. And you will know, Emperor, how powerless you truly are.” _

_ Her metal stake meets his sword and she rolls her wrist, twirling the gladius out of his hand. It clangs to the floor and she rushes forward, wrapping her hand around Alexander’s neck and slamming against the wall. She bares her fangs, holding them over his neck as she whispers in his ear. “Are you ready, Sacratissime Imperator? To become a god?” _

_ “Is that what you think you are?” Alexander hisses. “Gods?” _

_ “Yes. Wolves amongst sheep.” _

_ To her surprise, Alexander laughs, the sound hoarse and strained beneath her bruising grip. “The First was your Goddess, was she not? And yet she died.” His eyes narrow and he bares his own teeth in a snarl, fingers dipping beneath his cloak. “As will you.” _

_ He whips his hand up, revealing a small knife that was concealed by his clothes, and plunges it into the vampire’s chest, piercing her heart.  _

_ As she dissolves into ash, Alexander gasps for air, stumbling forward. The room is now silent, the fighting over. Diana watches as he crosses to the marble platform, shoving the box containing Aurelius’s ashes to the ground. The ashes spill onto the floor, mixing with that of the vampires and the blood of men.  _

_ It is over. _

_ Alexander straightens, breathing hard. “It is done, Astarte. We did it.” _

_ There is no reply. _

_ Diana realizes at the same time Alexander does that the room is silent and he is the only one left alive. _

_ Alexander finds Astarte’s body in the corner of the room surrounded by fallen blades and stakes. She had taken out the last of the vampire hoard, several at a time, and died in the process.  _

_ Alexander doesn’t cry for Astarte, for they were not lovers, even though perhaps they could have been when all of this was over. Diana feels his pain, waves of it, and gasps from the intensity. Distantly, she is reminded of the last time she felt a pain so acute. She had been in a different memory, on a different sort of battlefield, surrounded by the dead, watching herself bleed out. _

_ The next few events happen in a blur. Diana watches as the remaining bodies are removed from the chamber and burned, given their proper funeral rites, and then their ashes are scattered on the wind. She watches as Alexander leaves the Vessel of Gabal on the marble platform and orders the chamber to be bricked off and constantly guarded.  _

_ She watches as shadows pick themselves up off the ground inside the sealed chamber, their red eyes gleaming. Lemures. Not yet fully corporeal, they slide through the cracks of the brick wall, strangling the guards and tearing into their flesh, spawning more creatures. Diana watches as Alexander rules, the Roman Empire falls and others rise. Rome modernizes, an underground subway system is built. _

_ Finally, Diana watches as a woman and a man whose hand is wreathed in cobalt flame tear down the brick wall and enter the chamber, removing the Vessel of Gabal from where it sat hidden for two thousand years.  _

* * *

Diana opened her eyes and wretched all over her shirt.

“My god, Diana,” someone breathed and she could sense waves of relief and concern roll over her. As she coughed and spluttered, she became aware of the body pressed behind her back, the arms around her waist, the legs that framed her own.

“Gaius?” she wheezed, placing her hand over his on her stomach.

“Hold on,” he murmured, his voice close to her ear and she felt him shift, one of his arms slipping away as he yanked a towel off the back of a nearby chair. “Here,” he said, wiping her mouth. “I—ah, there’s not much I can do for your shirt.”

Diana’s whole body felt weak and her mind was still spinning. But the scent of bile all over her shirt made her stomach roil. “Can you…” she swallowed, mouth dry and throat hoarse. “Can you hand me another shirt? There’s a pile of clothes at the bottom of the closet. Used it to hide the…” She glanced over at the amphora, the Vessel of Gabal, where it sat on its side by her feet.

“I got it,” Gaius responded, shifting her gently to reach forward and grab one of her sweaters from the closet. He handed it to her and Diana struggled to pull her shirt off, the task made more difficult by her weak limbs and her attempts to avoid touching any of the soiled sections of fabric. “Diana. Let me help.”

Diana struggled for a few moments more before she gave up, sagging and out of breath. She had never felt so weak, so out of sorts, so miserable. It made her want to cry in frustration and even fear. This had never happened before.

“It’s okay, Diana. You’re okay.” Gaius’s voice was soft as he gently guided her out of her shirt, fingertips barely brushing her bare skin as if he were cautious to cross that boundary given the vulnerable state she was in. He tossed her ruined shirt into the nearest trash bin and helped her into her sweater, tugging it all the way down before he sat back, letting her catch her breath.

They sat there on the ground for a while, Gaius leaning against the foot of the bed and Diana leaning against his chest, mind reeling. In addition to everything she felt after diving into that vision, she was also starting to feel embarrassed. She had just vomited all over herself, then needed Gaius’s help to change. God, how pathetic could she be?

“Hey…” Gaius chided softly as if he heard her thoughts. He probably had. 

Adding fuel to the fire, Diana promptly began to cry.

“Alright, let’s get you into bed, Diana,” Gaius decided, rearranging their bodies so he could stand with her in his arms. Diana didn’t resist as he carried her towards her bed and set her down, drawing the blankets around her. “You need some time to recover.”

“Wait,” Diana croaked as he drew away, about to retreat. She grabbed his hand, hating that she was asking this, hating that she needed this, hating the way her voice quivered slightly as she asked, “Can you stay? Here. Just for… just for a while.”

Diana saw him hesitate, eyes darting to the side for a moment before he nodded. As Gaius gingerly laid himself down beside her, pointedly staying on top of the covers, she tried not to think that his expression resembled that of a man who was climbing into a lion’s den. Diana held his hand between both of hers as she willed her tears to stop flowing and her breath to slow until she had finally collected herself enough to ask, “Can I show you? It won’t have the same effect on you as it did on me since it will be my memory of a vision. Not the real thing.”

Gaius’s blue eyes were steady as he nodded against the pillow. “Alright.”

Diana nodded and closed her eyes, focusing on the feeling of his hand between hers, the warmth that radiated off his body due their close proximity. She channeled everything she saw through their bond, hearing his breath hitch and pick up as he began to see. 

Several minutes later, the memory was over and Gaius let out a long breath. “The Vessel of Gabal. The amphora can resurrect the dead with their ashes. I never knew of this.”

“Yeah,” Diana breathed, staring absently at the wall. “Gaius,” she swallowed the lump in her throat. She was really laying it all out there today. “I’m scared.”

“Diana…” he frowned, eyes sincere, and for a second, he looked as if he were going to hold her again. But he stayed where he was, opting to swipe his thumb over the back of her hand instead. 

“I don’t know what any of this means,” she admitted, her frustration clear. “I don’t know why I was meant to find something that can bring the dead back to life, or what this is supposed to mean in relation to Demetrius’s influence.” She squeezed her eyes shut, resisting the urge to scream, to cry, to do  _ something _ in her frustration. “things are getting bad again.”

“What was the phone call about?” Gaius questioned, a crease forming between his brows. “Before your vision, when you were talking to Jax Matsuo.”

That phone call felt like forever ago. “He said that Demetrius’s influence has spread. Entire communities on distant islands went Feral because of it. I told Jax that he, Kamilah, and Adrian need to evacuate people nearby.”

“That was a wise choice. It will save many lives, Diana,” Gaius murmured and Diana tried to take comfort in his words.

She squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth. “For now. I don’t know what any of this means, and I hate it. It’s like every time I take a step forward in unraveling this, I’m set back two more. The more I learn, the less I understand. And now lives are at stake. I didn’t leave New York for this. I just wanted…” She lowered her head, throat tightening.

“Why did you leave New York, Diana?” His voice was gentle, the caress she felt against her mind even more so. It made her want to give in. To what, exactly, she didn’t know.

“I needed space,” Diana whispered, too exhausted to hold any of this in anymore. She was tired of not talking about things, of pretending she knew what she was doing, of pretending some part of her wasn’t mourning the loss of the life she knew. “These past few years, Adrian and I have grown apart. We were busy doing our own thing. He was so invested in human-vampire relations and I was doing my own work with dream therapy. Like what I do with you,” Diana explained, her gaze briefly flicking to his. 

Gaius was watching her carefully, eyes so intense she felt as if he were seeing right through her. She felt her skin flush and looked away before continuing.

“We were so deep in our own work, we didn’t even notice how little we even saw each other. What was worse was when I realized that it didn’t really bother me. I loved Adrian. I still do. I know that I always will,” she admitted, tears burning her eyes again. “But we don’t fit together the way that we used to. Once we realized how little time we spent together, we tried to remedy it, but that only made me realize how little I knew about what I wanted anymore. I don’t know who I am apart from him. I’ve been with Adrian for about as long as I have lived as a mortal. I know to you, twenty years is nothing, but it still is to me.”

Gaius opened his mouth to protest, but she continued on.

“So, when the dreams started coming, I took it as an opportunity to get away from everything and think,” Diana breathed, absently tracing shapes on the inside of Gaius’s wrist. “I told Adrian that I wanted to take some time and figure out who I am apart from him. And if that person is someone who still wants to try and work things out.”

“And is it?” Gaius whispered.

“I don’t know,” Diana confessed, and her chest positively ached at her admission. “And part of me worries that the fact that I don’t miss him as much as I thought I would or that I haven’t decided yet is an answer in itself.”

Gaius’s expression was tender, eyes understanding. Somehow, that only made her feel worse. “Diana, I think—”

“Please,” she uttered, shaking her head. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

She felt his eyes on her, sensed his uncertainty on whether or not to push the matter. But ultimately, Gaius nodded. “Alright.”

Neither of them spoke after that, and after a while, Diana felt herself drift off into a deep and dreamless sleep, her hands still holding his. 


	11. Chapter 10: Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peace is fleeting.

**_Bergen, Norway, 2042_ **

When Diana awoke, she saw that night had fallen and it had begun to rain.

She yawned and twisted, rolling on to the arm she had stretched out beside her when she stiffened, noticing the figure stretched out beside hers. Gaius was sound asleep, body angled towards her, face partially concealed by the plump downy pillows. 

And he was still holding her hand, tightly clasped to his chest. 

Diana felt her cheeks flush, a delicious sort of warmth blooming in her although she didn’t know why. This shouldn’t make her feel anything. It shouldn’t mean anything. She thought about pulling her hand away, of rolling on to her other side, of slipping out of bed to start her day, but she couldn’t spur her body into action.

She felt warm, rested, and safe. For now, all of her troubles seemed so far away and danger was nothing but a distant blip on the horizon. For now, she wanted him to keep holding her hand.

Diana was about to drift off again to the sound of rain pitter-pattering against the window when Gaius shifted, his breath quickening as he woke up. Diana felt his fingers tighten around hers for a second before easing their grip. The mattress dipped and Diana watched through her lashes as he raised himself up on an elbow, peering at the cloudy sky through gaps in the curtain. 

_ Well, now that he’s awake… _ Diana gave up on returning to sleep and rolled onto her back, using her free hand to push herself into a half-sitting position.

Gaius startled, wincing slightly as he met her gaze. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Diana debated telling him she had been awake for a while, but just shook her head instead. “It’s okay.”

Gaius searched her face for a long moment, then took a long breath that made his broad chest expand beneath their hands. “You need to feed.”

Before Diana could protest, he released her hand and climbed out of her bed. She hadn’t realized how much she had enjoyed his warmth until she felt its absence. She watched as he retrieved the gallon bag of blood from the butcher and stared at it for a moment, as if uncertain what to do with it. Then he grabbed a ceramic mug from the counter where it sat between the hotel’s coffee machine and the television and filled it.

“Here,” he said, handing her the mug before sitting on the edge of his own bed, boundaries drawn once again.

Diana wrinkled her nose at the blood, which had thickened somewhat, over the last 24 hours. “How… appetizing.”

Gaius’ lip twitched, but he didn’t budge. “Appetizing or not, you need it. You’re the most powerful vampire alive, but even your body has limits. After last night…” he trailed off, but Diana didn’t need him to finish his thought. She remembered how drained she had been after that vision. “You need to keep up your strength.”

Diana frowned but she knew he was right. Even now, she felt her fangs digging into her lower lip, her primal senses coming to life in response to the coppery scent. She bore down on the mug as Gaius got up and began busying himself with other things in the room, rifling through his bag and the food he’d brought back the night before. Diana drank deeply until the cup was empty, stained only with the dregs. She grimaced at the mug, making a mental note to wash it before they left lest she give the housekeeper a heart attack.

“Eat this,” Gaius prompted, holding out the bag of pastries, a roll of bread, a granola bar and a banana. Diana raised a brow. If she didn’t know better, she’d say he was fussing.

“I don’t need all of this.” She plucked the bag of pastries from his hand and, when he didn’t let up, the banana. She shot him a look. “I’m fine. Stop being such a mother hen.”

A muscle feathered in Gaius’s jaw, but he stored the bread and granola bar away, rolling his eyes. He sat back down on his bead, resting his elbows on his knees and lacing his fingers together. “So.”

Around a mouthful of fattigman, Diana echoed. “So?”

Gaius huffed, gaze cool. “Charming, Diana.”

Diana shifted so that her legs hung off the edge of the bed and kicked his shin with her bare foot as she glared at him and spoke down the bond. ‘ _ So’ what? _

Before she could pull back, Gaius grabbed her ankle, holding her leg in the space between their beds. “So. We have the Vessel of Gabal, which has the power to resurrect the dead. What do we do about it?”

Diana’s stomach twisted. She wasn’t ready to think about all of that yet. She yanked her foot and Gaius released her ankle so she could fold her legs in front of her. “What do you propose we should do?”

“Destroy it.” Gaius didn’t even hesitate. He’d clearly been thinking about it, perhaps for a while last night as she slept. “That’s what Alexander thought they should do.” He narrowed his eyes, lips pursing as he observed her. “But you disagree.”

“Astarte thought it was too important to destroy. People died so it could be made.” Diana frowned, staring down at her hands. “And I can’t help but think that for whatever reason I was led to it, it’s related to Demetrius.”

“You said that. While you were on the phone with Matsuo.” Gaius pushed his hands through his hair, face hard. “You said you thought these artifacts are supposed to help you stop his influence from growing. How? By using it?”

Diana shrugged, absently running her thumb across the silver lily that hung at her throat. She couldn’t help but think of Lily and that dark day twenty years ago when she’d watched her best friend turn to ash. “I don’t know. I don’t know who…”

Diana trailed off, but the question was loud and clear.  _ I don’t know who I am meant to bring back. _

“This,” Gaius sighed, putting his head in his hands, “is a Gordian knot.”

Diana tilted her head. “A what?”

Gaius lifted his face, raising his brows. “A Gordian knot. Pandora’s box. A snake pit. A hornet’s nest. A  _ mess _ .”

“Yeah, I got it after Pandora’s box, thanks,” she snapped, scowling. She leaned back against the headboard, drawing her knees to her chest.

“Regardless of what Astarte said,” Gaius began and Diana inwardly groaned, wishing this conversation would just end. They could come back to it another time, perhaps when they had more answers. “Whether or not this is dark magic, it’s unnatural. You saw what happened when Rheya tried to bring back Demetrius. The price she paid.”

Diana nodded, setting her chin on her knees. The Ferals. Rheya tried to bring back the dead and paid for it, losing Demetrius all over again and creating the first Feral.

Her eyes widened, the realization dawning on her. “The price…” She sat up, blinking. “Rheya paid a price for trying to Turn Demetrius. But what if the price of the Vessel has already been paid? Atargatis said—”

“‘The souls of forty innocents in exchange for one,’” Gaius quoted, face growing tenser by the second. “Christ…”

“And we know it's possible to come back from the dead,” Diana said slowly, hesitantly. Gaius’s gaze met hers, questioning, and she turned away, chewing her lip. Somehow this conversation was going from bad to worse.

“I… died. After you…” she swallowed, staring hard at the corner of her bed as her hand drifted to her necklace, then to her chest. “It took four days for me to come back. To Turn. I don’t know if it was because I’m the Bloodkeeper. But I was dead. Truly dead.”

The silence between them was the heaviest it had ever been. When Gaius finally spoke, his voice was strained, raw. “I did not know that.”

Diana looked over at him and clenched her fists in the sheets around her. He looked… sad. Devastated. 

She didn’t know what to make of him. She didn’t know what to make of her own feelings. Diana had long since moved on from that day; she knew his mind had been twisted, but he had still done it. For him to regret it now? After learning she  _ actually _ died? Part of her wanted to snap at him, to wipe that expression off his face. She didn’t want his pity or his sorrow. 

But the longer she looked at him, the less malice she felt. After all, Diana had been in his mind, had been with him as they went through all of the memories of the people he had killed. She had felt his remorse, sharp and painful as a knife, for each life he took, regardless of who it was. So perhaps he had put their violent history out of mind because she was still here, alive and breathing. But Diana knew that she would now be yet another ghost in his dreams.

“Diana, I…” Gaius trailed off, clearly at a loss for words. He swallowed hard. “I have dreamed of that day over a thousand times. Over a thousand times, I saw you stab me. Felt it, as the stake pierced my chest and I ceased to be… me. Over a thousand times, I watched myself stab you, Diana. With your own friend’s sword.” His face tightened. “After a while, I no longer knew which part was worse.”

Diana said nothing, her jaw clenched and chest tight as she watched him struggle to speak.

Gaius stared at his hands, palms facing upward. “In my dream—the one you saw in Rome—you had said you died before. And when we were talking about the bond, you said something about killing each other. But _ I _ didn’t die. Not really. So, I didn’t think that you…” He met her gaze, expression tortured. “I took your life.”

Not a question, but a statement. A realization and an admission. He wasn’t looking for confirmation, but Diana nodded anyway.

“If you hadn’t, Adrian might never have turned me,” she said, trying to keep her voice neutral. “And I wouldn’t be here today.”

“He would have,” Gaius whispered, stricken. “If you asked him, he would have. For you.”

Diana didn’t have a response to that. She knew he was right.

“Did you even want this life?” he asked.

“Gaius, I learned a long time ago to accept it.” Diana sighed, pushing her fingers through her hair. “Maybe I didn’t covet it, but I don’t resent it. And it’s not so bad, now that we don’t have to live in the shadows. And I don’t have to miss the sunlight either. It could have been worse.”

Gaius nodded, although he didn’t appear to be any less troubled. Diana noticed his shoulders tense and his hands clench as if he were restraining himself from reaching out to her as he whispered, “I am sorry, Diana. I am so sorry. For everything I have done to you. Taken from you. I am sorry.”

Diana felt his sincerity, his anguish, without even needing the bond. In this state—knowing everything he had shared with her, how he had begun to place his trust in her—she was distantly aware that if she wanted to, she could strike him a wound so deep, so severe, it would fracture him. 

The thought of that was almost too much to bear.

Diana shook her head, hesitantly placing her hand on his shoulder. She wouldn’t offer him forgiveness, for it wasn’t hers he needed in order to move on. Instead, she merely said, “I know.”

Gaius looked at her hand, brows drawn together as if he couldn’t comprehend this. The gentleness with which she treated him. Diana saw the silent question in his eyes.  _ Why? _

“You expect me to punish you,” she murmured, getting to her feet so that she stood before him, her thighs brushing his knees. “I think a part of you even wants me to. I think you want to suffer, Gaius, to prove that you are paying for the sins you committed. I know this, not because we are bonded but because I know you, as I told you before, perhaps better than you know yourself.” Diana swallowed, fully understanding the weight of the words she was about to say as she forced her gaze not to waver. “But I won’t do that to you. I won’t be someone who hurts you. _ I won’t _ .”

Gaius’s face was twisted with grief and wonder and too many other emotions that Diana couldn’t put a name to. He gazed up at her, as open and vulnerable as she had ever seen him. “Diana…”

He lifted his hands and set them lightly on her hips, giving her the freedom and time to pull away, and in that instant, Diana saw something in his eyes shift. She saw the offering in them, the complete and total surrender. 

All too aware of his hands on her, his warmth seeping into her skin, Diana knew that whatever she asked of him, whatever she wanted from him, he would give it to her. It made her breathless and unsteady, her blood loud in her ears. She knew Gaius sensed it too.

When she spoke, she sounded winded, her voice high in her own ears. “Gaius… I—”

She was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Instantly, the tension between them dissipated and Diana was nearly dizzy with relief as they both turned towards the entryway. Diana withdrew her hand and stepped back; Gaius’s hands fell back into his lap.

Whoever was out there knocked again. Diana and Gaius shared a glance, suspicion clear. “I’ll get it,” Diana said quietly, moving towards the door. Anything to get her mind off of what had just happened. What was  _ about _ to happen, if they hadn’t been interrupted.

She peered through the viewer, its fisheye lens revealing two women dressed in blue tunics and khaki pants, a housekeeping cart between them. Diana glanced over her shoulder at Gaius, who had moved near the drawer where they kept their weapons stashed. She used the bond.  _ Housekeeping. _

Gaius’s eyes narrowed and she could tell he didn’t trust this. He nodded and Diana slid the deadbolt free, opening the door.

Before she could even fully open it, the door flew back, striking Diana in the chest and sending her careening into the wall. Pain exploded across her spine as she struck the bathroom door frame and one of the women rushed into the room, a blade drawn, and threw herself at Gaius who had yanked the drawer out and drew one of Diana’s daggers. 

Diana snarled, bracing her hand against the wall as she slammed the bottom of her bare foot into the door. It struck the other woman with a satisfying thud and Diana heard her swear on the other side. Before the other housekeeping woman could throw the door open, Diana backed out of the way towards the center of the room where Gaius and the first woman were fighting. 

With an irritated huff, Diana noticed the intruders’ eyes were red. Vampires.

_ Well _ , she tried to reason with herself, as she swiped a stake from the drawer and spun to face her attacker.  _ At least I don’t have to kill any mortals _ .

Diana turned just in time to see the second vampire wind back her arm, something gleaming in her hand. Diana ducked, narrowly avoiding a tiny, wicked-looking knife that was clearly meant for her head. It embedded itself into the plaster of the wall behind her with a solid  _ thunk! _

“Where’s the Vessel and the Compass?” The second vampire hissed, unsheathing another one those tiny daggers as she stormed towards Diana.

Diana’s stomach twisted. She knew she was talking about the amphora and was willing to bet the Compass was somehow the amulet. Her grip on her blade tightened and she narrowed her eyes. “Who are you?”

The woman didn’t respond, pulling back her arm once again to hurl another knife. Diana heard a gurgling noise behind her, followed by a thud, and before she could even duck or question the woman again, Diana felt the wind shift around her, heard something whistle by her ear. Diana watched as one of her daggers sank into her assailant’s stomach and then another pierced her shoulder, pinning it to the wall.

Diana whirled just as Gaius stormed past her, seething. She looked for the first attacker, but the only thing that remained of her was a fine layer of ash that settled across Diana’s bed. She blinked in surprise. The fighting had only begun seconds ago…

“She asked you a question.  _ Who are you?” _ Gaius snarled, demanding. He was standing in front of the woman that had tried to turn Diana into a dartboard, the lines of his shoulders tense. His hands were sticky with ash and blood, clenched into fists at his sides. “What do you know about the amphora?”

The woman hissed and spat blood on the floor between them. “Go to hell.”

Diana watched as Gaius held the tip of the stake beneath the vampire’s chin, using its point to tilt her face up to his. “I suggest you give us answers. Or the Bloodkeeper will draw them out of you.”

Diana stepped closer, peering over Gaius’s shoulder. The woman’s gaze, honey brown like her hair, flicked to Diana. She saw her pupils dilate for a fraction of a second and Diana knew the woman was afraid. Not of Gaius, but of  _ her _ . 

“The Compass,” Diana demanded, holding up her hand, palm out. Diana didn’t need contact to go into the woman’s mind, but after last night, she wasn’t eager to use her power so soon. And Diana had seen how the vampire reacted to her. Perhaps a few powerless gestures were enough to get her to talk. “That’s the talisman, right? What is it? Why do you want it?”

“The Mercurial Compass.” The vampire wheezed out a laugh, blood trickling out of the corner of her mouth. “You don’t even know the power you possess. Fools.”

Gaius pressed his other hand on the hilt of the blade that was buried in the woman’s shoulder and she grunted in pain, eyes going wide.

“The amphora. What do you want it for?” he snapped and the woman’s eyes narrowed, shifting back to his face.

Her lips drew back into a snarl, eyes full of disdain. “The First will walk again, Second Son, and you will pay for your betrayal. In your blood,” her gaze flicked to Diana, “and hers.”

Gaius flinched back as if struck, caught off guard by the name he once went by and the mention of the old prophecy. The vampire took advantage of Gaius’s surprise and surged forward, but not to attack. She gripped his wrist, the one that held the stake to her throat and directed it downwards, plunging it into her own chest.

“No!” Diana gasped as the woman dissolved into ash.

She and Gaius stood there in silence, barely breathing, staring at the spot where the other vampire had once been.

“She was a Daughter of Rheya, then,” Diana breathed at last, turning away from the wall. She glanced at the closet where the Vessel of Gabal and the amulet, the Mercurial Compass, were hidden. “They’re not just after me. They’re after the artifacts.”

“And they know where we are now.” Gaius turned from the wall and stalked towards the drawers, snatching his duffel bag along the way. “We need to leave. More will be on the way.”

Diana clenched her teeth in frustration but nodded and began to pack her belongings as quickly as possible.  _ Looks like I won’t get the chance to explore Bergen in the morning, after all _ , she thought bitterly, although if she was being honest, she was surprised they hadn’t been forced to flee sooner. 

She wrapped the Vessel in several articles of clothing before tucking them into her bag and was about to do the same thing with the Compass when the pale green jewel at the center gleamed, catching her eye. Its power was still dormant, but there was something alluring about it that made her pause. Diana glanced over her shoulder at Gaius, who was busy packing his own belongings, and then slipped the fine golden chain over her neck, tucking the amulet beneath her sweater.

“Where are we going to go?” Diana asked several minutes later once they had stowed all their stuff away. She shifted her backpack on her shoulders and followed Gaius out the door, taking one glance back at the once cozy room, now covered in blood and ash.

“We’ll take a train to Oslo first. Then we need to get the hell out of Norway.” They swiftly strode down the hallway, passing the elevator in silent agreement to take the stairs instead, just in case. 

“Should I schedule a flight?” 

“No. The airport will be the first place the Daughters will think to look after they realize we got away from here. There’s a ferry we can take to Denmark.” Gaius shoved open the door to the stairwell, holding it open for Diana. As she passed through, he took the duffel bag from her hands and hefted it onto his shoulder.

She shot him an odd look as they rushed down the stairs together and he rolled his eyes.  _ Just let me. _

Diana shook her head and opened the door into the hotel lobby. As Gaius passed her, she slipped her hand into his, causing him to raise his eyebrows in response. Diana didn’t respond, pointedly looking straight ahead as they slipped past the empty front desk.

Beside her, Gaius huffed, but she felt his fingers tighten around hers. Together, they drew up the hoods of their coats and disappeared through the double doors into the rainy night.


	12. Chapter 11: Jump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunters become the hunted.

**_Oslo, Norway, 2042_ **

Diana stood below a large split-flap display, comparing all of the departing ferries from Oslo. She rubbed her eyes as the small white letters came in and out of focus and leaned into Gaius’s side. After a seven-hour train ride, they finally stood in the ferry terminal in Oslo, trying to find the next departing boat.

“The next ferry leaves at four for Copenhagen,” Diana noted, her thumb absently brushing over the back of his hand. “But we won’t arrive until around noon.” She glanced up at him. “Can you…?”

Gaius’s jaw was tense and he didn’t exactly look too happy about their prospects, but he nodded. “I’ll be fine. I can manage until we find a place to go. The sooner we get out of here, the better.”

Diana nodded, squeezing his hand once before pulling hers out of his coat pocket. She turned towards the ticket office. “I’ll go get the tickets. Just sit tight, alright?”

Half an hour later, they stepped off the gangway from the terminal and onto the ferry boat, ready to settle in for yet another long trip. As they entered the main seating area, Diana paused, cringing as Gaius swore beside her.

Massive windows lined the sides of the boat, looking out at the dark blue sea and the gradually lightening sky beyond. Windows were not a problem for Diana, but Gaius on the other hand… 

Diana bundled his sleeve in her fist and pulled him forward, out of the entryway. “I’m sure we can find someplace without any windows.”

They circled the entire room twice in a fruitless search for a pair of seats that weren’t in view of the wide windows before giving up, settling for a cushioned booth tucked into a far corner whose view was at least partially shadowed by the wall and a structural pillar. Scowling, Gaius slid into the booth first and Diana followed, setting their bags on the floor before them.

“You’re just going to have to keep your hood up, Gaius,” Diana advised, tugging on the material of his coat for good measure. “And if you feel any sun just tell me and I’ll try to block it.”

Gaius huffed and gently slapped her hand away, readjusting his hood and shoving his hands into his pockets. Diana rolled her eyes. Apparently, he could fuss over her but didn’t like when she did the same.

Diana studied his profile as he glared at the floor, jaw clenched, and got the sense he wasn’t just irritated because of the long ferry ride or the oncoming daylight. She nudged his shoulder, her voice taking on a softer tone. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

Sighing, he lifted his head and folded his arms across his chest, glancing at her sidelong.  _ Honestly? _

Diana nodded, resting her hand on his knee.

“Things could be better,” he admitted, closing his eyes and resting his head back against the chair’s headrest. 

“Because of what the woman said,” Diana inferred, biting the inside of her cheek.  _ The First will walk again, Second Son, and you will pay for your betrayal. In your blood and hers. _ A reiteration of the old prophecy, one that had already come to fruition and found resolution. But still, recalling it sent a shiver down her spine. “About Rheya.”

“Yes.” Gaius rubbed his temples and a muscle in his jaw feathered. “The Daughters want to bring her back.”

Diana pursed her lips, toying with her necklace as she stared out the window at the rolling waves. They had begun to move. “But they can’t. Even if they got the…” Her eyes strayed to the duffel bag that contained the Vessel. “They don’t have her ashes. Those dispersed years ago.”

“I imagine they’re aware of that. They clearly know what the Vessel is, what it does, and what it requires,” Gaius said under his breath, speaking lowly. “And yet they still want it. Which makes me wonder if they’ve found a way around it. Or a remedy to it.”

Diana’s frown deepened and she pulled her hand away, slouching in her chair and resting her ankle on her knee as she thought. “They wanted the amulet, too. The Mercurian Compass”

Gaius’s brows drew together, a crease forming between them. “ _ Mercurius _ ... He’s a Roman god.”

“Of?” Diana tilted her head. She didn’t know much about Roman mythology. After seeing how important the history of Ancient Rome was to her now, she was starting to regret not taking Classics in college.

“Many things,” Gaius hummed, picking at a loose thread in his coat. “Wealth, commerce, communications, trickery, merchants, thieves…” Gaius’s shoulders suddenly tensed. When he spoke again, his voice was barely above a whisper. “Travelers and boundaries.”

Diana sat forward, sensing the shift in his focus. “You’ve realized something. What is it?”

“The Mercurian Compass.” Gaius raked a hand through his hair and readjusting his hood, then slouched down, his posture mirroring hers. “Mercury and a compass, two symbols related to traveling. My guess,” he mused, gaze lazily swinging to the duffel bag on the ground, “is that if our amulet is aptly named, its function has something to do with transportation. Specifically, traversing boundaries.”

Diana tugged the amulet out from beneath her sweater and studied it, chewing hard on her lip. Gaius stiffened beside her and she heard his rebuke in her head.  _ You’re wearing it? _

_ I thought it best to keep it close.  _ Diana barely spared him a glance as she drew its chain over her head and weighed it in her hand. Its power still lay dormant, unresponsive. Diana held it up, dangling it by the chain, and watched as it swayed in time to the boat’s gentle rocking motion, the pale green stone shining in the fluorescent lights. 

“You think it can… teleport people?” Diana raised her eyebrows. Even saying it aloud sounded absurd. But she supposed stranger things had happened. Much stranger.

“Distance is just another sort of boundary.” When she glanced over, she saw that Gaius was watching the Compass swing back and forth, his face drawn. “As is time.”

Diana wrapped the chain around her hand, gripping the pendant in her palm as she narrowed her eyes and sat up straight. “No. If you’re saying what I think you’re saying… Absolutely not.”

“It’s just a theory,” Gaius scowled, although the expression lacked any fire. He just looked weary. He exhaled, head lolling to the side so she couldn’t see his expression. “It would make sense. Why they want it.”

Diana glanced between him and the Compass, an ache starting to form behind her eyes. Although this pain, she knew, was not the result of an oncoming vision. This was fatigue and frustration, pure and simple.

Scowling, Diana looped the amulet back around her neck, tucking it safely beneath her clothes. The metal felt warm against her skin, its weight comfortable atop her chest. “Well, whether your absurd theory is true or not—and for the record, I think it  _ isn’t _ —the Daughters of Rheya won’t get it. I won’t let them.”

“That much,” Gaius murmured, “we can agree on.”

Diana smirked and shook her head, pulling out her phone to entertain herself. “Get some sleep while you can. You’re going to need all of your strength to face the sun.”

Gaius didn’t seem inclined to listen. He shifted in his seat, studying her face. “What do you know of the Roman gods, Diana?”

Diana’s brows lowered and she glanced up at him. “Not much. Why?”

“Your name,” he replied, tone thoughtful. “It’s Roman.”

She locked her phone and dropped it into her lap. “Is it?”

“Mm. There’s a Roman goddess named Diana. Goddess of the Hunt, Mistress of the Night,” he tilted his head, the gesture purely feline as his lip quirked. “Perhaps you were fittingly named,” Gaius wondered aloud and Diana’s lips drew into a frown. As if he could sense her displeasure, he straightened, giving her a look of cool appraisal. “That makes you uncomfortable. To be compared to the gods. You didn’t like it when the Little Folk revered you either.” His eyes narrowed, assessing. “Why?”

Oh, Diana did not like his tone one bit. It sounded as if he thought that he knew something about her she didn’t.

“The last two people I met that claimed to be gods were power-hungry sycophants,” Diana snapped, expecting him to scowl but his face remained impassive.

“Rheya and I were fools, yes,” Gaius admitted, his voice carefully neutral as he regarded her. “We had the power, but not the sense or the means to wield it properly. But you…” His eyes were fixed on hers, gaze unwavering. “You do. Twenty years have gone by and it has not consumed you.”

“You said it yourself. Twenty years is nothing in the face of eternity.” Diana shuddered, drawing her coat tighter around her although she knew that it wasn’t the cold air that chilled her bones. “Rheya ruled with a steady hand for a while, but we all know how that turned out. I could end up like her one day, with or without Demetrius’s influence corrupting me.”

“No,” Gaius said simply. “I don’t think you will.”

Diana stared at him for a long moment before she scoffed, carelessly waving her hand in the air between them. “Well, surely, now that you think so, it can’t possibly happen. So, thank you, Gaius, for your vote of confidence.”

Diana knew she was just being coarse because she was irritated and tired of all of these damn mysteries, but to his credit, Gaius didn’t seem bothered by her attitude. He merely raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between her hand and her face. She wondered if his immunity to her attitude developed because he could be equally gruff and knew how to put up with it or because he knew what it was like to be at your worst and feel out of control. After all, he’d been trapped at that point for three thousand years. 

_ Have you ever had a bad day? _ he had asked her once, long ago on another boat in the middle of the South Pacific.  _ I don’t mean a day that was bad. I mean a day when you were bad. When you were cruel and short-tempered? When you lashed out at those you loved? When you woke up the next morning and thought, ‘god, how could I have done those things?’ _

“You think having that much power is a bad thing. You’re scared of what it will do to you and what you will do with it.” Gaius’s voice was soft but not weak. He wasn’t accusing her, just stating the truths she already knew but was unwilling to face.

Diana stared at him, jaw clenched, but did not disagree.

“You don’t have to be afraid of your power,” he went on quietly. “Not all gods were cruel and indifferent. Many were protectors.  _ Diana _ was a protector. A protector of nature, of women and children, of slaves and the oppressed. And I think that could be you, too, when you come into your own.”

Diana opened her mouth to protest, to tell him he had too much faith in her, when she heard his voice in her head.  _ Just… think about it, Diana. _

She pursed her lips but nodded anyways. Diana tugged on his hood once more, concealing his face from the rising dawn. “Get some sleep, Gaius. It’s been a long night and it’ll be an even longer day.”

His eyes roamed over her face for a long moment and Diana couldn’t help but wonder what exactly he saw when he looked at her like that, as if he could see right through her. But then he nodded and turned away, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Diana settled into her chair and scrolled through her social media for a while before deciding to draft up a brief email to Adrian, Kamilah, and Jax, letting them know she had a run-in with the Daughters of Rheya but was otherwise safe and on her way to Denmark. Then, feeling more than a little homesick, she swiped through her photos of her friends and family back at home until the ache in her chest subsided, just a little bit.

* * *

Diana woke up to the warmth of the sun on her face. 

She squinted, holding her hand in front of her eyes to block the glare of the light reflecting off the frothy sea beyond the window, and angled her face away, her cheek brushing something light and feathery.

_ Oh. _

Gaius’s face was tucked into the side of her neck, his hood pulled up to shield him from the sun save for the tufts of hair that tickled her jaw. As Diana came back to herself, she realized she had been leaning into him just as much as he had been leaning into her. His warm breath, slow and steady ghosted along her collarbone, sending shivers down her spine.

As if they were acting on their own accord, her fingers swept through his dark curls and for a moment, she marveled at how silken they felt against her skin. Then she gently brushed them back from his forehead and pulled his hood into place. Diana sat there, trying not to think too much about the sudden tenderness she felt in her chest as she rested her cheek against the crown of his head and watched the sunlight dance across the crashing waves.

* * *

**_Copenhagen, Denmark, 2042_ **

“This place is incredible,” Diana breathed, gaping at the colorful buildings around them, their reflections rippling in the still sea, disrupted only by the gently swaying sailboats that lined the docks. Diana inhaled, her mouth salivating at the scent of grilled meat. Several sausage stands were set up along the waterfront, and Diana was momentarily reminded of the hot dog carts at home, even though these looked significantly more appetizing. “I never thought to visit Copenhagen, but I am so glad we’re here now.”

“Glad to hear it,” Gaius deadpanned and Diana turned to face him, unable to stop the grin that tugged at the corners of her lips.

Oh, he looked positively miserable, with his hood drawn and his coat buttoned all the way up to his throat. Diana couldn’t see his eyes behind the sunglasses, but she had a feeling he was glaring at her.

Diana schooled her face into one of neutrality, just to humor him and checked the directions on her phone to the hotel she had booked on the ferry. “Come on, it’s not far.”

Gaius merely huffed and begrudgingly followed her through the streets of Copenhagen, only snapping at her once when she lingered too long at a street food cart. As they got farther away from the waterfront, the streets grew quieter and less populated, leaving Diana to marvel at the peaceful atmosphere. At one point, Diana shed her outer layers and couldn’t help but smile at the way her skin warmed beneath the sun, its rays unobstructed by clothing or even panes of glass.

_ You’ve missed this, _ Gaius observed and Diana glanced back at him, shifting her backpack on her shoulders.

_ Yes _ , she replied, leading them around another corner.  _ But I didn’t even realize it until now. _

_ Why do you keep the night hours?  _ Gaius matched her stride, now walking beside her.  _ If you can go out whenever you want? _

Diana half shrugged.  _ Habit. Back in New York, all of my friends didn’t have a choice but to only go out at night, and I wanted to be with them, so… _

A beat of silence, then,  _ You know, just because I have to avoid the sun doesn’t mean you have to stick with me. You don’t have to stay up all night dealing with my memories. _

Diana raised her eyebrows at him, then looped her arm through his and offered him a bashful smile.  _ I know. But I want to. _

Gaius’s step faltered beside her and Diana watched his brow knit behind his glasses, his Adam's apple dipping tantalizingly beneath the collar of his coat. Then he huffed and kept walking, pointedly staring straight ahead, although he didn’t bother to shake her off.

They turned down an isolated sidestreet overlooked by wrought-iron balconies decorated with potted plants. They were about halfway down the block when Gaius slowed, his arm stiffening against hers. Diana felt his wariness wash over her.

_ Diana… _

Diana just barely detected the softest of thuds and began to turn when something punched through her knee, the shock settling in milliseconds before the pain. She cried out wordlessly, her grip on Gaius and her bags loosening as she fell to the ground, glimpsing the crossbow bolt that jutted out of her leg. As Diana’s vision whited out, there was a rustle of fabric, a grunt, and then—

“Traitor.”

Hearing that ignited something in Diana’s blood and her anger overwhelmed her pain. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to get to her feet, about to rip the bolt out of her knee as she turned, snarling, “You know, I’m getting really sick of you guys and this ‘traitor’ bullshit—”

Diana halted in her tracks, grimace falling from her face.

Dressed in slim black pants, a white-sleeved shirt, and a cloak of emerald green was Serafine Dupont, a crossbow strapped across her back, one gloved hand holding a dagger, the other outstretched. But not towards her.

Diana’s heart plummeted. “Gaius!”

Gaius was on his knees at Serafine’s feet, back curved like a bow as he hunched over, hands splayed on the ground before him. He was breathing hard, swearing, as he fought against Serafine’s control. His hood was shoved back, glasses discarded so that his skin was fully exposed to the sun. There were yet to be any serious effects, but Diana could sense his discomfort through the bond, harsh and stinging.

Diana glared at Serafine, her hands clenched into fists. “Stop this, Serafine. Now.”

“Give me what I want,” Serafine countered, breathless. She was winded, a blush high in her cheeks as if it were taking everything she had to keep Gaius down. “The Vessel of Gabal and the Mercurian Compass. I know you have them.” Her dark eyes scanned Diana. “I can sense it.”

“No.” Diana shook her head, drawing her power up, feeling it roil beneath her skin, begging to be released.

“Don’t!” Serafine’s eyes widened and she clenched her fist, causing Gaius to grunt and collapse to his elbows. “If you even try to touch my mind, I will shred  _ his _ , Diana, I swear it.”

Diana stilled, eyes narrowing. She was almost certain that she could easily overpower Serafine and stop her from doing any real damage but… She glanced at Gaius and felt her chest crumple. It wasn’t a risk she was willing to take.

“Think about what you’re doing, Serafine,” Diana pleaded, meeting her gaze. “You want to avenge Rheya—”

“I am going to _ bring her back _ ,” Serafine snapped with such fervor, Diana almost winced. This was the woman who had helped her, Adrian, and Jax. Who had given them shelter when they needed it and came to their aid in New York when the city was in ruins. She wasn’t supposed to be her enemy. “And I have thought long and hard about this—about _ him _ ,” she waved the dagger in her other hand at Gaius, “the Second Son who betrayed our Goddess—and how he will pay.”

“Yeah, well I’m the one who killed her,” Diana said coolly, subtly testing her weight on her injured leg. It couldn’t fully heal because the bolt was still lodged in it, but the pain had subsided enough to provide some mobility. “So let him go.”

Serafine’s eyes softened for just a fraction and Diana had the inclination that the other woman didn’t want to fight her either, although Diana knew she still would. “You didn’t know better, Diana. You still don’t. If you help me bring her back, you’ll see it was all a misunderstanding and—”

Serafine cut herself off, her eyes suddenly widening. Her gaze fell to Diana’s neck, following an invisible line that trailed to her chest and traveled just below the hem of her shirt. Serafine’s lips parted and she breathed, “The Compass.”

When her eyes met Diana’s once again, Diana knew there was no reasoning with her anymore. 

Diana held up a cautioning hand. “Serafine, I don’t want to fight you—”

Diana watched in horror as Serafine brutally twisted her fist, jolting her wrist up, and Gaius went sprawling to the ground, limp and unmoving. Diana felt his presence in the corporeal plane extinguish like a match in the wind.  _ No. _

Serafine launched herself forward, slashing at Diana’s outstretched hand with her knife. Diana distantly felt the blade’s sting as it sliced through her hand. She took a half step back as Serafine ran at her, protectively covering the amulet with her bloodied hand while the other swung up, emitting a psychic burst of energy. 

Several things happened at once. Serafine was thrown back, body colliding with a nearby wall. Diana felt horrible pain flare tear through her very soul, radiating from the bond she shared with Gaius, who still had not moved. And the Mercurian Compass flared to life, steadily emitting a brilliant light.

Diana watched Serafine shakily get up on an elbow, her eyes widening at the spectacle.

There was a voice—no, thousands of voices that spoke all at once, all of them cold and ancient. It sent a violent shiver through her body as it asked,  _ Where? _

Diana had the sudden sensation that her body was being pulled in every direction. Meanwhile, waves of pain continued to roll through the bond, tearing Diana’s focus into two.

_ Where? _ the voices repeated, louder this time, and Diana had the suspicion that if she didn’t give them a destination, they would pick one for her. Another flare of pain radiated through the bond and Diana gasped aloud, pleading, _ “Somewhere safe!” _

Diana barely had enough time to scoop up the duffel bag containing the Vessel and dive for Gaius, her arms pulling him against her chest before she disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

**_Somewhere_ **

Diana felt the impact of her knees hitting hard-packed earth and fought back a scream through gritted teeth. Distantly, she heard the end of the crossbow bolt snap and her vision went red. Everything hurt. Everything—

Clarity struck Diana like a blow and she remembered Gaius, heavy in her arms. She gazed down at him, his body half in her lap, still unconscious, his breathing shallow.

“Oh, god,” she croaked, her eyes blurring. Looking at him, so unresponsive, his presence in the world dim, she felt as if her soul were being torn in two. She lifted his head, brushing some straw away from his face—apparently, they had landed in a pile of hay in some sort of barn. Diana heard chickens cluck somewhere nearby but she blocked out her surroundings, focusing only on the man in her arms. She pressed her forehead to his and followed the pain that flooded through their bond, all the way back to its source, and dove into his mind.

_ Diana is back on the battlefield, in the hellish dreamscape of the first nightmare she’d ever seen of his. _

_ Without even taking a moment to orient herself, she takes off running, following the tether in her chest to its anchor, the other half of her whole. Fires are blazing and dying men reach out, brushing her bare ankles as she hurls herself forward, unwilling to stop for even a fraction of a second. _

_ Diana finds him kneeling amongst the dead, head bowed and shoulders rigid. She sees herself, bleeding out in his arms, watches as her bloody hand covers his on the hilt of a knife and begins to push the fine tip against his chest. _

_ No.  _

_ Diana rips the blade out of their hands, stopping it from piercing flesh and collapses to her knees. Her other self dissolves on a phantom wind and Gaius looks up at her, his eyes, red with grief, widening in surprise. _

_ “Diana,” he whispers and she takes his hand, holding onto it like he’s her only lifeline, and  _ pulls.

Gaius gasped, his chest heaving with deep, gulping breaths. His eyes looked around wildly, taking in the rustic interior of the barn they somehow found themselves in, miles away from Copenhagen, before they finally settled on Diana.

His fingertips skimmed over his own chest, then brushed against her cheek. “Diana.”

Diana sobbed, both in relief and joy, and threw her arms around him.


	13. Chapter 12: Onward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long journey lies ahead.

_**Somewhere, 2042** _

Gaius was alive and whole—she had seen to it by checking his vitals three times over—and yet, Diana couldn’t bring herself to let him go.

She fussed over him, still sniffling hard and remembering how painful it had been to almost lose him, how terrified she was. Back in Copenhagen, with that last flick of her wrist, Serafine had trapped Gaius—perhaps unintentionally—his worst nightmare. But she hadn’t just trapped his mind, she had trapped his very  _ essence _ , which meant if something happened to him in his dream… 

Diana wanted to start sobbing all over again whenever she thought of it. She knew she was being irrational, fretting over him like this, but it was the only thing that put her mind at east, reaffirming that he was alive, that their bond was not broken.

And Gaius, who was shocked to say the least at her visceral, but admittedly touching reaction, let her. Until he noticed the bolt still protruding from her knee, the wound bleeding all over the hay.

“God, Diana, your leg,” he gasped, leaning away from her touch so he could drag himself into a sitting position. His hands fluttered over the wound and he glanced up at her. “Will you stop being a…  _ mother hen _ , as you said before, and let me get it out?”

Diana glanced down at her knee, blanching as if she had just remembered the injury she had taken. 

Now that her anger and adrenaline had faded and both using the Mercurian Compass and diving into Gaius’s mind had somehow left her drained, she knew this was going to hurt. She leaned back and nodded, forcing her breathing to slow.

Gaius shifted, gently setting her leg across his lap. He carefully gripped the bolt just above its sharp point; the fletching had snapped off after their jump from Copenhagen to… wherever this was. His eyes flicked up to hers. “This is going to hurt.”

_ Obviously _ , she thought, along with,  _ Can’t be worse than going in. _

Diana grit her teeth. “Do it.”

Gaius nodded and swiftly yanked the bolt out in one smooth pull. Diana swore, body tensing as blood gushed out—then stopped, the wound already knitting itself closed. Slowly, the pain ebbed away and Diana loosed a sigh of relief. Her fingertips found the Compass, crusted in her blood, and still hanging around her neck. Its power signature was faint, evidently drained for the time being. She glanced around, taking in the barn they had landed in.

They had been… transported here. Minutes ago, they were in Copenhagen, and now? Diana wasn’t even sure they were even in Denmark anymore. Diana dragged herself to her feet, spotting a thin stream of light that poured through the giant barn doors. She cracked the door open, peering out.

Green pastures were stretched out before her, several animals lazily grazing beneath the bright sun. A small house sat on a hill about a mile away and snow-capped mountains towered in the distance. A chilly wind swept through the barn door, invigorating and taxing all at once as she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. Diana was about to explore and attempt to get a sense of their surroundings when the floor tilted beneath her and she stumbled.

“Easy,  _ diviana _ .” Gaius reached out, grabbing her shoulders to steady her as she sunk to her knees, hay crunching beneath them. His eyes drifted to the amulet and they narrowed as if he could sense how it had drained her. Then he glanced outside, pursing his lips. “We’re going to have to wait until nightfall to go anywhere anyway, and you should rest.”

Diana wanted to protest, but even her legs felt shaky beneath her. They searched the barn for a place to hide until dark, occasionally shooing away any curious hens that nipped at their ankles. Diana found a ladder, nearly hidden behind boxes of feed that led up to a hay covered loft that appeared to be used for storage.

“Well, this isn’t as nice as the hotel I had,” Diana sighed as Gaius climbed up after her and surveyed the space. He huffed in agreement, then set about peering into the crates and sifting through the contents. The best he could scavenge was a thick wool blanket that he spread over the hay to create a place to comfortably lay, although “comfortable” was a generous description.

Diana gingerly sat down, pulling her knees to her chest as she flicked a piece of straw off of the corner of the blanket. She wrinkled her nose and rubbed her arms for warmth. “I’m pretty sure this is a horse blanket.”

“Gotten used to Manhattan luxury?” Gaius lifted a brow, pinching the fabric between his fingertips before shrugging and lounging on his back beside her. “You’ve slept on worse.”

“Yes, but I am paying for better. Back in Copenhagen,” Diana grumbled, as she picked at a loose thread on her shirt. Her attention strayed to the Mercurian Compass and she cupped it in her palm, scrubbing away some of her dried blood. 

“So that thing really transported us here,” Gaius noted, propping himself up on his elbow as he studied the amulet over her shoulder. 

Diana slowly nodded, chewing her lip. She gazed down at her palm, healed but still crusted in blood from when Serafine had cut it. “Yeah. When Serafine reached for it, I covered it with my hand and…” She bit the inside of her cheek. “I’ve touched it before, but it’s never reacted like that. I think it needed a blood connection.”

“To you specifically, or anyone?”

“Anyone, I think.” Diana dropped the amulet back beneath her shirt. “When it spoke it me, it didn’t sound like it knew me or anything like that, so I imagine anyone could use it—”

“It  _ spoke to you?” _ Gaius’s voice was incredulous behind her.

“Yeah. It was… bizarre. Like a… chorus of voices.” She shivered, but not from the cold this time as she remembered the amulet’s ancient whisper. “It asked me where I wanted to go, but it wasn’t giving me enough time to choose. Its power was already pulling me away, so I just told it to take me somewhere safe.”

Gaius made a thoughtful sound. “Most enchantments are incredibly specific. When you let magic make its own evaluation, things could end poorly. But it looks like we got lucky.”

“Yeah…” Diana echoed, glancing around the loft. Motes of dust lazily floated in the air, circulating on a draft that entered through the gaps in the wooden walls. Diana craned her neck to glance over her shoulder at Gaius, who was half reclined on his elbow, idly tracing shapes on the blanket. “How are you feeling?”

His gaze met hers, eyebrows lifting. He reached out, pinching the fabric of her sleeve and tugging until she lay down beside him. “I’m alright,” he replied, fingertips barely brushing her cheek as he swept a lock of her hair away from her face. His lips curved. “You saw to that. Thank you. For stopping me.”

Diana swallowed, glancing down to his shoulder, unable to meet his eyes. She swallowed hard. “That was awful. The bond—I…”

She felt his gaze on her as he waited patiently for her to find the words. His fingers traveled from her hair, skimming down the length of her arm, and she closed her eyes, suppressing a shiver. 

“Gaius, I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared for someone else in my entire life. When I saw you collapse on the ground in front of Serafine…” She shook her head. “I didn’t know what to do. I don’t know what I would have done if we hadn’t left Serafine behind,” Diana breathed, her admission hanging in the air between them. 

Gaius’s hand stilled on her arm, then after a long moment, resumed its path, trailing along her knuckles. “It was probably the bond. It confused my well-being with yours so you were especially driven to protect me.”

Diana nodded, but she knew that wasn’t the case. Not for her. 

“I’ll be on my guard more,” Gaius said, more to himself than her. “Reinforce my mental shields so something like that doesn’t happen again.”

Diana didn’t respond, content to lay there quietly, drawing on the comforting warmth of the body beside her as she watched Gaius’s finger lazily trace shapes on the back of her hand.

“Tell me something,” he murmured.

Diana’s brows drew together. “Like what?”

“Anything,” he replied, breath ghosting over her forehead and stirring fine wisps of her dark hair. “Something good.”

Diana thought for a moment, automatically sifting through her archive of memories when Gaius shook his head. “I just want you to tell me about it, Diana. Talk to me.”

He did not know what that did to her, the way her stomach flipped in response.

“Anything,” he whispered, and Diana could have sworn there was a plea in his voice.

“When I was younger,” she began, not really thinking, just sharing the first thing that came to mind. “I wanted my parents to have another baby. I begged them, every day. I mostly wanted a little sister so I could dress her up and we could be princesses together. But I told my parents I would settle for a baby boy, even if little brothers were gross and annoying. Because above all, I just didn’t want to be alone.”

Diana felt Gaius’s gaze burning on her skin as she watched his chest rise and fall, breaths steady and even.

“I know now why my parents never had another kid,” she went on, turning her hand over so Gaius’s finger skimmed along the inside of her palm instead, tracing the lines and curves. “My mom didn’t think she could handle another child considering how painful her visions were. She already thought she wasn’t being a good enough mother to me, and her headaches only got worse as I got older. It must have been hard on my dad. I know he always wanted more. But he loved us so much that we were enough.”

“Did you get used to it, then?” Gaius asked quietly. “Being alone?”

Diana considered that for a moment, folding her other arm beneath her head for a cushion. “Used to it, yes. But I never enjoyed it. So whenever I made friends…” She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “I did my best to keep them.”

Gaius hummed thoughtfully. “That would explain your unrivaled tenacity.” 

He was teasing her, but there was a hint of fondness in his tone. 

She smiled slightly. “Yes, well, I’m fortunate to have found people who want to stay.”

“You miss them,” Gaius stated, his finger trailing from her palm to the inside of her wrist, hovering over her pulse. “Everyone back in New York.”

“It’s not so bad,” Diana replied and as she said it, she realized it was true. “I thought it would be worse, being out here all alone. But…” She shrugged, trailing off.

“But what?” he breathed.

Diana drew her gaze up, biting the inside of her cheek. “But I’m not alone.”

Gaius’s brows drew together, and for a moment, the expression that crossed his face looked pained. “Diana…”

“I know things between us don’t always make sense,” Diana whispered, her voice wavering slightly. “And you’re still punishing yourself for what you’ve done. But you’re my  _ friend _ , Gaius. Truly. I don’t know if I could have handled the last few weeks had you not been with me.”

Now he truly looked wounded, lips pulled into a frown and eyes pleading, as if he were begging her to stop. “Diana, I don’t deserve that. You know this.”

She turned her hand over, sliding her fingers along his palm to grip his forearm. She felt his pulse echo against hers. “That’s not how friendship works. Not with me. It’s not earned, it’s given. You don’t have to accept it, Gaius, but I—”

“I do,” he choked out, fingers tightening around her forearm, and Diana felt a wave of emotion roll over her, so intense and muddled she couldn’t tell her feelings apart from hers. “There is nothing you could give me, Diana, that I would not accept.”

She wasn’t sure she was breathing properly, her chest so full it might explode.

Diana stared at him for several long, weighted seconds. Then, slowly, so as not to startle him—or even herself—she inched towards him, releasing his hand to set hers against his sternum. His chest barely moved beneath her palm as she wedged herself beneath her arm and nestled her head against his shoulder.

“Is this okay?” she questioned, noticing the way his body was still tense against hers. Maybe she had overstepped, misread the situation. Perhaps when he had said there was nothing he would not accept, he meant intangible things, like opportunity and companionship, not… this.

But then, just as cautiously as she had come to him, his arm curved along her spine, fingers splaying out across her ribcage. His other arm was draped across his stomach and Diana felt her nerves jump as he tilted his head, jaw pressing against the crown of her head.

This was… a lot at once. It felt like she had arrived at a precipice and was teetering over the edge. It was both thrilling and terrifying in ways she had yet to comprehend. Diana found herself wondering, not for the first time, why everything had to be so complicated with him.

The dizzying speed at which her thoughts whirled around her head combined with her hyper awareness of all the places they touched was too much and Diana stepped back from the edge, reigning herself in before she spun out of control. “This is only because it’s cold and sleeping in a barn is uncomfortable.”

That was a lie. That was such a horrible, damn lie. It tasted vile on her tongue, but it was safer than the truth, which was that she wanted to be close to him. More than anything. She tried to quiet the thoughts that insisted this still wasn’t close enough.

She couldn’t explain why. This wasn’t a thing normal people who were on the verge of friendship did. But then again, they weren’t normal people—not even in the slightest. Normal people weren’t bonded the way they were. Perhaps that was why her blood sang when she fit her body against his, as if even her bones knew they were fated to rest next to his.

But she couldn’t explain that to him. Her confusing feelings were the last thing he needed to worry about, especially when he was still trying to dig himself out of a hole carved by three thousand years of sin. No, the lie was better. Even if it made her feel dirty inside.

Gaius’s breath halted, just for a fraction of a second, and Diana wondered if he sensed falsehood of her words too.

“Mhm,” he simply said, the sound reverberating through his chest and into her fingertips. After a moment, he sighed, his thumb absently brushing over one of her ribs. “We should probably get some sleep,  _ diviana _ . We might be in the middle of nowhere for all we know and will probably have a long night of walking ahead of us.”

No sooner had he said that, Diana yawned, nodding against him. As she closed her eyes, feeling herself warm with their combined body heat, she asked, “What does that mean? You said it once before.  _ Diviana _ .”

Gaius was silent for a beat. When he spoke, Diana could hear the fatigue in his voice as he murmured, “Just a derivation of your name.”

“What does it mean?”

When he didn’t respond, she craned her neck up to see his face, but he was already fast asleep. Diana rolled her eyes but settled against him. It wasn’t long before sleep claimed her too.

* * *

The barn door swung shut, drawing Diana’s attention from where crouched on the ground rifling through the one duffle bag she managed to grab before the Compass transported them out of Copenhagen. She looked up as Gaius walked it, wiping his hand on the back of his mouth.

“Satisfied?” she asked, piling her clothes back into the bag atop the amphora.

Gaius nodded, sifting a hand through his hair. His face was flushed, color high in his cheekbones from feeding, a healthier hue than the gray pallor it had been earlier this evening. He stood behind her, peering over her shoulder at their meager supplies. All they had was the baseball bag containing their swords, Diana’s backpack which contained a refillable water bottle, a few granola bars, and the wool blanket, and her duffle bag, which was essentially useless for their trek back to civilization but also the only thing the amphora would fit inside.

“It’s not much, but we’ve dealt with less before,” Gaius sighed, slinging the sword bag across his back and hefting the duffle onto his shoulder, leaving Diana with her backpack. “Any idea where we are?”

Diana shook her head, holding up her phone. “My phone died after the Compass jumped us here, so I can’t get a pin on our location. The amulet probably drained its energy when it fed on mine,” she sighed, tossing it into her backpack. “This is going to be a fun story to tell Jax once I get it charged. After he finishes yelling at me.”

Gaius let out an amused huff. “It’s just because he cares. And he knows how reckless you are.”

Diana shot him a look that was both offended and disturbed. She shouldered her pack and stood, scrunching her nose in distaste. “Don’t… do that.”

“Do what?” They slipped out of the barn, firmly closing the door behind them as they made for the dirt path that led to an old country road.

“Sympathize with Jax,” she grimaced, batting away a horsefly that buzzed by her ear. “You’re right, but it’s… unsettling. You two don’t like each other.”

“I don’t… dislike him,” Gaius grumbled, swords clanging together as they came to a stop at the edge of the road. They looked up and down the road, neither direction showing any indication that civilization lay beyond.

“You don’t like him either.” Diana retorted studying the road. “Should we just… pick a direction and stick with it?”

Gaius shrugged wordlessly and Diana scowled. Seeing her expression, he scowled back. “What?”

“You’ve been alive for three thousand years. All of that life experience and you don’t have any advice on what to do?” She put her hands on her hips, gaze unwavering. This—arguing with him—she could do with ease. It didn’t warm her blood or make her chest feel tight. The lines were clear, and they would have to hold.

“This might come as a surprise to you,” Gaius snapped, rolling his eyes. “But I don’t make a habit of getting lost in the middle of nowhere.” He glanced around at the countryside, huffing. “I’ve seen a thousand mountains and pastures. After a while, they all start to look the same. So, no. I don’t have any sparkling advice for you. Just pick a direction, Diana, and follow it.”

Grumbling to herself, Diana re-evaluated the road. To the left, the road curved, not offering much aside first glance aside from the mountains in the distance. To the right, there were more rolling plains and a whole lot of nothing. She sighed and turned left, taking the mountain pass.

* * *

After hours of walking in bored silence, Diana was starting to wonder if maybe they should have gone in the other direction when they came to a fork in the road. A small signpost marked the divide, pointing down one of the roads. In white scripted letters, it read:

**_Zermatt_ **

**_64 KM_ **

Gaius huffed. “Zermatt. So we’re in Switzerland.”

Diana felt her face settle into a glower, unable to even marvel at the fact that she was in Switzerland for the first time because she kept glaring at the numbers on the sign. “How many miles is 62 kilometers?”

When she glanced over at him, he looked equally unhappy, his jaw clenched, eyes unamused. “Around 38 miles.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Diana groaned, squeezing her eyes shut and pinching the bridge of her nose. “38 miles to the nearest town?”

“Evidently.”

“We won’t make it tonight, even if we run.” Diana peered up at the moon, which had already reached its apex in the sky. “There’s about six hours left before dawn. We’ll have to make camp somewhere and finish the rest of it tomorrow night. Maybe we should try using the Compass.” She ran her finger along the amulet, but its presence was weak.

“And end up in the middle of nowhere again?” Gaius raised a brow, his eyes narrowed. “I think not. Besides, if it drains you as much as it did last time—”

“Fine. I get it,” Diana cut in, throwing her hands up in frustration and starting off down the road in the direction of Zermatt. “Onward, then.”

Diana didn’t look, but she knew he was smirking at her.

After a few minutes had passed, Gaius spoke up. “Tell me something.”

Diana looked at him sidelong, adjusting the straps of her backpack. “Why?”

He tilted his head, gaze flat. “Would you prefer to continue in silence for another six hours?”

Diana wanted to snap back, but she loosed a long breath and shook her head. “What do you want to know about?”

“Anything.”

“That’s not very specific.” She pushed her hands through her hair, fingers getting caught in knots. She drew out a piece of hay and frowned, imagining—not for the first time—how nice it would be to shower again. “There’s a lot of things I could talk about. Boring things. Random things.”

“I don’t mind,” Gaius replied. When Diana glanced at him, she found that he wasn’t looking at her or even the road ahead, but the sky. Diana had been so focused on the road, she hadn’t even noticed how many stars were out, or even how gorgeous the scenery around them was. The dirt road overlooked a valley, bordered on both sides by majestic mountains, their peaks coated in snow. A river wound through the basin floor, a sparkling ribbon of moonlight amidst towering trees. Diana took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the scent of ice and pine. 

_ Well _ , she conceded.  _ As far as 40-mile hikes go, we could certainly be in worse places. _

Diana clicked her tongue as she thought. Why was it that whenever someone wanted to pick her brain, she never had anything interesting to say?  _ Well, he did say ‘anything.’ _

“I love peaches,” Diana shrugged, rubbing her arms for warmth. It wasn’t the most exciting fact, but she didn’t exactly feel like delving into her memories to spin some grand tale.

Gaius’s brows rose. “Peaches.”

Diana nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Back in my childhood home, my neighbors had this peach tree that partially hung over the wall into our backyard. They said whatever crossed the wall was ours to take. I used to spend my summers sitting alone by our pool, eating peaches and reading books.” 

She smiled fondly and breathed deep, letting the cool air wash over her. “If I try hard enough, I can still feel its stickiness on my hands. Smell the chlorine in the air. Sometimes, the days were so hot, I would burn my feet on the concrete, so I would splash it with water. For some reason, I never thought to put on shoes.”

When Diana finally trailed off, she glanced over at Gaius and felt her lungs constrict upon realizing he was already looking at her. A small smile graced his lips, his head tilted at a curious angle.

Diana felt heat rush to her cheeks and she pursed her lips. “What is that look for?”

“Nothing.” Gaius shrugged, turning away to watch the road ahead of them. Diana caught the knowing glint in his eye as he said, “I just think I’ve started to figure you out, Diana Leigh.”

Diana blinked at him, her footsteps faltering. What did  _ that _ mean? She hadn’t said anything particularly revealing, had she? They had spoken about far more important things than  _ peaches _ . 

Diana regained her stride, resisting the urge to sigh once again as she caught up with him. Perhaps Gaius thought he was beginning to understand her better, but Diana was getting the feeling that no matter how much she learned about him, she would never know enough.

She supposed she had an eternity to find out.

* * *

When the sky turned from black to gray and color slowly started to leech back into the world, they finally set up camp a little ways off the road and in the surrounding woods, using the wool blanket they had slept on the day before as a makeshift canopy to block out whatever rays of sun the surrounding foliage didn’t catch.

Diana spread out articles of her clothing across the forest floor to provide something to rest on, sparing only the sweatshirts they layered on for warmth in the cool climate. She no longer cared how soiled her clothes got; she would just have to buy new things to wear when they stocked up on the rest of the supplies they’d lost. 

They huddled around Gaius’s blue fire as they rationed out the granola bars and drained half of her water bottle in an attempt to fill their empty stomachs, trading small facts about their favorite things as they did.

When it was time to settle down, Gaius extinguished his flame, leaving them exposed to the morning chill. Diana watched as he laid himself down on the bed of her clothing and chewed her lip, gathering her courage once again. She made her way over to the makeshift bed and felt some of her nerves ease as he looked up at her and held his arm open.

“For warmth,” he said, and Diana nodded. 

The ground was not comfortable. Diana felt every rock and twig that pressed into her side through the layers of clothing. She shifted several times, grimacing as she tried to get settled. “When all of this is over,” she muttered, “I’m going to find the softest bed to ever exist, and sleep in it for days.”

Gaius loosed a soft laugh that stirred her hair. He didn’t seem bothered at all by their conditions. “This reminds me of the days before I ran into you in Aosta.”

Diana looked up at him. “You slept outside often?”

His brow furrowed. “I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t always have cash to pay for a hotel room and when I was travelling…” he shrugged. “It was easier. I had a tent and sleeping bag in my pack.”

Diana smirked. “Looks like I grabbed the wrong bag.”

Gaius’s lip curled as he settled back and closed his eyes.

_ Right then,  _ Diana thought, resting her head against his shoulder and preparing to give into the ache in her bones when she caught a gleam of light from within the shadows of two shrubs.

She narrowed her eyes, casting out her senses as the leaves rustled, parting to reveal—

_ The Black Shuck. _

Diana stiffened, momentarily thinking to reach for her sword, but she forced herself to still. The shadow hound merely peered at her from the edge of their makeshift camp, silver eyes luminous. As Diana stared back, she felt a connection form and sensed its intent to protect her once again. Diana followed its gaze to Gaius, who was not yet asleep but had not noticed their visitor. Swallowing, Diana met the Shuck’s eerie stare once more and slowly dipped her chin.  _ Safe. _

As if it had sensed her thoughts, the shadow hound retreated a step, then dissipated on a phantom wind. 

Diana let out a long breath, equal parts relieved that she had averted the conflict and that the Black Shuck was alive and undeterred by their last encounter. For some reason, it still thought she was worth protecting. A weight Diana didn’t know she had lifted from her chest.

Perhaps she could still do things right after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Diviana means "the shining one"


	14. Chapter 13: Wanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some boundaries are better off broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little birthday gift, from me to you.
> 
> warnings: nsfw

**_Zermatt, Switzerland, 2042_ **

Diana nearly sagged in relief when her eyes beheld the sprawling town of Zermatt, nestled in the shadow of the snow-dusted Matterhorn. Hundreds of golden lights winked back at her, the whole town smoldering like an ember cupped between stone hands in the dark. Several lifts led from the outer rim of the village up to the surrounding mountains, the gondolas glinting silver in the fading moonlight. It was like something out of a Christmas special.

“It’s beautiful,” Diana breathed, her weary bones sighing at the promise of shelter down below. She inhaled deeply, scenting pine, snow, wildflowers, and woodsmoke.

“It is,” Gaius agreed, his shoulder brushing hers as he paused, overlooking the town. After a few moments passed, he nudged her arm and backed away from the vista. “Come on. Let’s go find you that comfy bed you were griping about.”

Diana elbowed him, rolling her eyes, although she couldn’t keep the smile off of her face. After two nights of walking along that old dusty road, nothing could dampen her spirits now. “You better be glad I was griping about that comfy bed since I’m going to be paying for yours.”

Gaius grinned, batting her away as they continued down the road. “Whatever you say, Your Highness.”

“‘Your Highness,’ huh?” Diana rose her brows at him, tilting her chin up. She put one hand on her hip and held the other out, palm facing up. “Give me your hand.”

Gaius’s brows drew together, his suspicion clear as his eyes flicked between Diana’s hand and her face. She curled her fingers twice, growing impatient, and he pursed his lips, reluctantly putting his hand over hers as they continued walking.

Diana flipped his hand over so that the back of it rested in her palm and used her other hand to push down his thumb, forefinger, ring finger, and finally his pinkie. Then she held up his hand, grinning as it flipped him off, and released him with a gentle shove. “ _ Don’t _ call me that.”

Gaius unfurled his fingers with a scowl, holding up his hands, palms out in surrender. “As you wish,  _ diviana. _ ”

_ Diviana.  _ Diana gave him a cursory look, then shrugged. That name could stay.

Before long, they found themselves walking down the paved walkways of Zermatt, passing by closed storefronts and cafés. Diana glimpsed her reflection in the window of a small boutique and cringed, combing her hands through her knotted hair and attempting to brush the dust off of her shirt. She glanced over at Gaius. Why didn’t  _ he _ look like he’d just romped through the forest for two days?

“I think you’re going to have to do the talking,” Diana muttered as Gaius pulled her away from the store. “I look like a mess.”

He glanced at her sidelong and shook his head, tsking. “You look fine. Nobody cares.”

“You know, Kamilah and Adrian once said you were charismatic,” Diana began, shrugging his grip off her arm. “But honestly? I don’t see it.”

Gaius raised his brows, cocking his head. Then he sighed, reaching out to brush some of her hair back, fingertips skimming her neck. “There are very few people who could have been shot with an arrow, slept in a barn, slept on the ground, and walked over 60 miles and still look as lovely as you, Diana.”

She paused, pursing her lips. “I prefer it when you mock me.”

Gaius gave a long, suffering sigh and spoke down the bond.  _ You’re impossible. _

Diana smirked in response but leaned into his shoulder as they continued on.

They found a beautiful, cozy-looking lodge of redwood, stone, and glass. When the hotel clerk came up to the front desk, Diana immediately knew the man thought they must be a peculiar couple, with their odd arrival time and their worn-out clothes. But when Diana put down her card on the counter and requested the nicest room they had available, the receptionist didn’t ask any questions.

When they entered their room, Diana nearly sighed in relief at the sight of the two massive beds adorned with the softest pillows she’d ever seen. The floors were polished hardwood and the walls were a collaboration of white plaster, gray stone, and reddish wood beneath an A-line beamed ceiling. A fireplace was set in the wall opposite the beds, right below a flatscreen TV. She set her bags on the floor and was about to light the fireplace when it suddenly ignited, first in a plume of blue fire that quickly became a vibrant blaze of orange and red. 

Diana glanced over her shoulder at Gaius.  _ Thank you. _

He merely nodded in response as he skimmed his finger along the mantle. Diana plugged her phone in to charge before she retrieved a plush bathrobe from the closet and promptly disappeared into the bathroom for what was perhaps the best shower in her life.

It took two shampoos before Diana felt like her hair was restored to its usual cleanliness and she scrubbed her skin raw to banish all of the dirt. As she perused the hotel’s array of soaps, Diana glanced through the steamy shower door at the giant tub on the other side of the room. She’d have to treat herself to that later.

When Diana finally emerged from the shower, she felt like she was glowing and vowed to never take showers for granted again. She toweled herself off, indulging in the lotions and oils the hotel provided before slipping into the bathroom. Most of her other clothes aside from her undergarments were too soiled to deal with now. She quickly wrung out her hair and combed through it with her fingers, too impatient to bother drying it fully.

“It’s all yours,” Diana announced when she swept out of the bathroom, immediately delighting in the fireplace’s warmth.

“I think I aged another thousand years since you went in there,” Gaius taunted, and Diana shrugged, too content to care. Gaius nodded at her bed. “Hotel staff brought those by.”

A set of grey cotton nightclothes sat atop her comforter, the breast pocket embroidered with the resort’s insignia. Oh, yes. This was definitely better than another night in the woods.

“Oh, Diana,” Gaius added before he slipped into the bathroom. He cut her a sympathetic look and glanced at the nightstand between their beds. “Your phone’s been ringing almost nonstop since it turned back on. The cavalry’s out.”

As if on cue, her phone began vibrating on the nightstand’s wooden surface, the sound grating on her ears. Diana cringed, glancing at the caller ID as Gaius shut the door behind him, giving them both privacy.

Diana answered the phone, prematurely wincing. “Hi, Jax.”

_ “We have been trying to call you for two days!” _

Diana winced, falling back onto the bed. She was right. This  _ was _ the softest bed she’d ever been on. It was a shame she couldn’t enjoy it. 

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly before Jax could go off on a tangent. “My phone was dead and I couldn’t charge it. I… well, it’s a long story.”

“Then I guess you better start explaining then,” Jax said gruffly and Diana rubbed her temples. “But before you start, we evacuated the islands around Demetrius’s. The populations were small but Adrian’s got them set up in Raines Corp employee housing.”

Diana sagged in relief. “Good. That’s good.”

“Demetrius’s influence is definitely spreading,” Jax continued, voice weary. “We felt it, distantly during the evacuation. But we’re looking into it, trying to figure out possible causes. Even Kamilah’s come out of her Garden of Eden to research.”

Diana couldn’t stop herself from frowning. She hated to place this burden on them. “Thank you, Jax. All of you.”

“Yeah, well… Don’t sweat it, Di,” he sighed and Diana imagined him pushing his hands through his hair. “We’re just doing our part. We never would have found out about this if it hadn't been for you. Now,” his voice turned hard. “Talk.”

Diana swallowed, staring up at the vaulted ceiling as she wound a strand of her damp hair around her finger. “Well, we figured out what the amphora and the amulet do.”

“Right. ‘We.’ You and  _ Gaius _ ,” Jax seethed on the other side before taking a deep breath. “We’ll get back to that later. So the artifacts…”

Diana tried to decide which one was easier to explain first. “Well the amulet is actually called the Mercurian Compass. Like the Roman god Mercury.”

“I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean, but go on.”

“It can transport people. I think it needs a blood connection,” Diana explained, grabbing the complimentary night clothes and absently rubbing the fabric between her fingers as she spoke to Jax. “I sort of found out by accident, but I’ll get to that in a bit. Gaius had a theory that it could even be used to travel through time—he said it’s just another boundary. It’s a whole mythology thing. Anyway, I haven’t tested that part out. ”

“Christ…"

“Yeah, I know. And the amphora, it’s called the Vessel of Gabal, and…” Diana swallowed, eyes straying to the bag it was hidden in. “And it can resurrect the dead if you put their ashes inside. But I haven’t tested that either.”

There was a long beat of silence on the other side. Then, “Fuck.”

“Yeah,” Diana repeated softly. “I know.”

“This is not good.”

“Agreed.” She rubbed her eyes. “And to make matters worse, the Daughters of Rheya want the artifacts to bring back Rheya. We had a run-in with Serafine back in Copenhagen and I accidentally activated the Compass, which dropped us in rural Switzerland. We only just got into town this morning.”

“And that’s everything?” Jax asked after a moment.

“The basic rundown.”

“Jesus.”

“Yeah.”

“And Gaius…” Jax let out a long-suffering sigh. “I don’t even know if I want to know the details about that man. I know you can handle yourself and I know better than to ask you if you know what you’re doing. Just… Are you safe around him? You trust him?”

Diana answered without hesitation. “Yes.”

If Jax was discomforted by her quick answer, he didn’t show it. Instead, he let out another fatigued sigh. “This is a lot. I’ll… I’ll tell the others when I see them later today, so don’t worry about it. You just… be safe out there. And give us a call if you need backup, alright?”

“Alright,” Diana conceded. “Thank you, Jax.”

“You’re welcome, Di. I’ll see you later.”

Diana nodded even though he couldn’t see. “See you.”

After hanging up, Diana quickly pulled on her nightclothes and draped the robe over a nearby chair before checking all of her mixed messages. 

There was one from Kamilah:

_ Text me when you can and let me know you’re safe. I know you can handle yourself, Diana. Take care of yourself and we’ll take care of things back here.  _

And one from Adrian. Her chest ached dully, but not in the way it used to. Diana glanced towards the bathroom door and took a deep breath, steeling her nerves before she went to Adrian’s contact and pressed the call button.

He answered on the third ring.

“Diana?” He sounded breathless, as if he couldn’t believe she was actually calling.

Her heart softened. Diana curled on the bed on her side, facing the window. “Hi, Adrian.”

“Are you safe?” Of course, that was the first question out of his mouth. Not only was it a reflection of how scared she’d made all of her friends while she was away, but it was in his nature to protect others. 

“Yes,” she replied, chest tightening with longing. Longing for Adrian, her best friend and closest companion. Longing… but not for what they used to be. “I just told Jax about everything that’s happened and—”

“Jax can fill us in later,” Adrian said softly. “All that matters is you’re okay.”

Diana nodded, closing her eyes. A long silence passed before she admitted, “I miss you.”

A sharp intake of breath. “I miss you too, Diana. So much.”

Diana couldn’t bear it. The tenderness in his voice. The hope.

Tentatively, Adrian asked, “Have you found the answers you were looking for?”

Diana squeezed her eyes shut tighter and bit down hard on her lip. She whispered, “Yes.”

The silence between them was loaded and Diana felt his question.  _ And? _

“And I don’t want to lose you, Adrian. But… I can’t be with you. You and I both know it’s not working anymore. And I’m so sorry, Adrian. I—”

“You don’t need to apologize, Diana.” His voice was gentle, so _ damn _ gentle. _ Because that’s who Adrian is, _ Diana thought.  _ But it doesn’t mean he’s the only one for you. _ “I understand.”

Diana swallowed. “Thank you.”

Adrian laughed softly, sadly. “Thank you, Diana. For everything.”

“I love you,” she said softly, but they both knew the meaning of love had changed.

“I love you too, Diana. Always.” He sighed heavily, and Diana heard the creak of leather. He must have been sitting at his desk. “It must be late where you are and you sound exhausted, so I’ll let you get some rest, alright?”

“Okay.”

“Goodbye, Diana.”

Her brows drew together. “Goodbye, Adrian.”

When Diana hung up, she let out a long exhale. And found that it was a little bit easier to breathe.

“Are you okay?” someone asked softly.

Diana rolled over to see Gaius standing at the far side of the room, towel slung around his bare shoulders, hair damp and shining in the low light. She wondered how much he had heard.

“Yeah.” She sat up, rearranging her covers so she could slide beneath them. It felt heavenly. “I’ve been meaning to do that for a while now. I just didn’t want to accept it. But I feel better.” It was true. It felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She looked over him once more, raising an eyebrow. “Why are you shirtless?”

Gaius glanced down at himself and Diana noticed the button up nightshirt bundled up in his hand. He shrugged, tossing it on his bed. “It didn’t fit. Do you want me to turn off the light?”

Diana nodded, so he did, leaving only the fireplace to shed some light in the room. Diana watched as Gaius crossed from the hallway to the space between their beds. Subconsciously, she held her breath, clenching the sheets in one of her fists as he glanced at her for half a heartbeat, then climbed into his own bed.

_ As he should, _ a voice reasoned in her head, but she couldn’t help but disagree.

Diana reclined onto her back and closed her eyes, trying to draw up the exhaustion she had felt nagging on her the entire last couple miles of their journey. But her mind wouldn’t rest. Her body was too anxious to stay still.

She shifted around a few times, restless in the soft but cold bed. She was all too aware that for the last few days, she had fallen asleep in the arms of another. Now that she was alone, everything in her was left wanting. It had only been four days since she last slept alone, but in that time, it felt as if an eternity had passed. So much had changed. Perhaps too much, if she had any hopes that things could go back to normal. Not that she really wanted them to. 

“Can’t sleep?” Gaius questioned and Diana startled. She thought he had fallen asleep already.

“Yeah,” she replied, once again turning onto her back. She stared at the ceiling, “Just thinking.”

“About Adrian,” Gaius inferred, and for the first time, he was wrong. Perhaps she should have been thinking about Adrian, but once that call was over, their story resolved, their relationship was the furthest thing from her mind. “We don’t have to talk about it, but just let me offer you this.”

Diana bit the inside of her cheek but nodded, curious. “Go on.”

She heard him draw in a long breath. “We live in a different world now, Diana. Our kind doesn’t have to live in the shadows.” He shifted around, the sheets rustling, and she knew he was facing her. “You have an eternity stretched out before you. One thing we all come to realize is things… passions, romances… They come and go. People outgrow each other.” Gaius’s voice became soft. “You can’t blame yourself for wanting to lead another life, especially when you have so much of it to live.”

_ Another life. _

Diana swallowed.

_ If we’d met in another life… I think things could have been different.  _

When he had said that, Diana had barely given him a second thought.  _ Yeah,  _ she had replied. _ In another life. _

She had been younger then and full of anger, full of hate. Most of it for Rheya, but some of it still for him. But she would be lying to herself if she said she hadn’t thought about that night a few times throughout the last twenty years and almost every day since this new adventure had begun. With him.

“I wasn’t thinking about Adrian,” Diana whispered, voice floating in the darkness.

“...You weren’t?”

“No.” 

Diana squeezed her eyes shut, heart pounding as she willed herself to go on. 

“Gaius… Back on the boat, after we found Demetrius…” She swallowed hard but pressed on. She would see this through. She had to. “You said that if we had met in another life, things could have been different.” Diana trailed off, rolling onto her side to face him at last, her brows drawn together. She didn’t need the bond to convey the question that hung in the air between them.

_ Different how? _

He could have said anything. He could have told her that they would have been good friends, never separated by strife, but also nothing more. He could have told her any number of things and Diana wouldn’t have questioned him. He could have said that this wasn’t another life, so it didn’t matter, and she would have gladly nursed the growing ache in her chest in silence, never testing their boundaries again.

But it was not in his nature anymore, to lie to her.

Diana watched his Adam’s apple dip, blue eyes shining in the firelight as he sucked in a sharp breath. Then, his gaze never wavering from hers, Gaius extracted himself from the bundle of blankets on his bed and stood, body gilded by his fire, still burning bright. Slowly, deliberately, as if giving Diana time to turn away, to reject his advances, he crossed the space between them, pausing at the edge of her bed.

Diana studied him, her chest impossibly tight. What would become of this? What would become of them? If they shed all pretense now, abandoning the lies they had told themselves for weeks? The lies that kept them sane, that kept things simple, that reassured them that this growing thing between them was the result of a bond neither of them had ever wanted?

Here they were, in a room of luxury, far from the ferry boat, the barn, and the forest they had slept in together. Here they were, with more than enough space, enough warmth, enough amenities to carry on without the other.  _ Ah _ , but  _ here they were _ , breathless at the boundary of a bed because for some reason, none of that other stuff was enough. Because it was clear now, that their bodies had come together out of a different kind of necessity, one independent of sunlight or temperature, unburdened by survival.

Perhaps those lies had long since been shattered into pieces.

Then, Diana met his eyes and drew back the covers for him. She wasn’t sure who was more relieved, Gaius or herself, as he ducked beneath her arm and slid under the sheets beside her. 

Diana felt like a live wire, all of her muscles taut with both restraint and anticipation. They laid there, facing each other for what felt like an eternity, neither speaking aloud or even through the bond, breath mingling in the space between them. There was a question in his eyes, one Diana wasn’t quite sure how to answer.

_ What do you want? _

Hesitantly, she laid her palm against his cheek, his skin smooth and impossibly soft. Diana felt as if she could hardly breathe as he turned ever so slightly into her touch. She brushed her thumb across his cheekbone as she sensed him—his caution, his weariness, and nearly drowning everything else out, his hope.

_ There is nothing you could give me, Diana, that I would not accept.  _

Her heart pounded, almost painfully now.

This was Gaius. The man who had once been her enemy. Who she had once feared above all else. But this was also  _ Gaius _ , the man who had become her ally, her friend, and her equal, bound by fate. Perhaps, she wondered, he was meant to be even more.

Diana was on that precipice once more, staring down the sheer drop, dizzy from the thrill. But this time, she was not afraid.

Diana looked up from her hand, meeting his gaze once more before she leaned in, bridging the gap between them, and pressed her lips to his.

They gasped in unison as the contact rang through their bond, a powerful hum that spread throughout with such clarity, such finality, Diana knew that there was no going back now. Something warm and molten surged through her, so hot it almost burned. Whatever it was, it was changing her, seeping into every crack and fracture in her aching soul. It was reforging her into something new. Strong. Unbreakable.

Gaius’s lips were soft and pliant against hers, moving tenderly wherever she led them. He shifted, wrapping an arm around Diana and holding her tightly to him, as if every inch that separated them was a cruel mark against his soul. Her hand slid from his cheek, tangling into the silken locks of his hair.

This was right. Diana felt it in her bones as she deepened the kiss, parting his lips with her own and surrendering herself to the comforting warmth of his touch. This was fate, two stars finally colliding. 

Diana couldn’t help but think that everything— _ everything _ —had led to this.

Her hand slid from her hair to his shoulder, gently pushing him so he reclined on his back and then slung her leg over his hip. Diana pulled away, but just for a moment, then she was ghosting her lips along his jaw. She pressed a hot kiss to the tender skin of his neck, just below his ear. When she bit him gently, all teeth and no fangs, his breath hitched, one hand gripping her hip while the other slid down her back, fingers pressing against each and every notch of her spine.

“Diana,” he breathed and she decided then and there that her name had never sounded lovelier than it did when it fell from his lips. She dragged her mouth along the tendon that ran from below his ear to his collarbone, her hands skimming over the broad expanse of his chest and across his stomach. He shuddered beneath her touch. “Please.”

Oh, if that wasn’t the most _ incredible _ thing she’d ever heard.

Diana drew back, breathing hard as she pressed her forehead to his. She swallowed, breathless as she asked, “What do you want?”

The hand that had come to rest on her lower back fit against her cheek, his long fingers sliding through her hair and grazing the back of her neck. “You. Just you.”

Diana wanted to bless him—to bless the gods and whatever other beings of fate that were watching over them for giving her something so sweet. 

She surged forward, claiming his lips with hers once again. She shifted her weight into her knees as she set one palm on the pillows beside his head and used the other to tug at the buttons of her cotton shirt. Eyes widening, Gaius quickly caught on. He batted her hand away, nimble fingers working through the buttons far faster than she could have done on her own. 

Propping himself up on one hand, Gaius leaned up, pushing Diana’s shirt off her shoulders and letting it fall forgotten somewhere amidst the tangle of sheets. His lips followed the path his hand took, pressing open-mouthed kisses down her neck and along her shoulder as his arm slid behind her bare back. He shifted them, guiding her to lie amongst the pillows.

“Tell me to stop,” Gaius murmured against her jaw, his voice low in her ear. Diana could hear the little things he wanted to say, but didn’t.  _ Tell me to stop before we go past the point of no return. Tell me to stop before I become something you’ll regret. Tell me to stop because I am not strong enough to end this on my own.  _

“Never,” she breathed to all of it, skimming her hands over his shoulders, feeling them roll and flex beneath her palms. The feel of his skin on hers was intoxicating. Paired with his skilled mouth, it was a heady mixture that left her dizzy and hungry for more, if there could ever even be enough.

Diana combed her fingers through his dark curls as he kissed his way back across her collarbone and further south, making their way down to the valley between her breasts. Gaius paused above her chest, fingers fluttering over her skin. He traced a line along her sternum, lifting his eyes to hers.  _ Is this where…? _

Diana nodded, her breath catching in her throat as he held her gaze and slowly pressed his lips to her skin, sealing over old wounds, replacing cruel memories with the new. Her hand slipped from his hair and she cupped his cheek in her hand, swiping her thumb across the smooth planes for a heartbreakingly tender moment. Gaius leaned into her touch, taking a moment to anchor himself and abandon the past for now. Then he turned his lips into her palm, pressing another kiss there before gently biting the side of her thumb.

Diana let out an amused huff and she caught a spark of mischief gleam in his eye that sent a flare of liquid fire straight to her core before he pressed an open-mouthed kiss to her breast, tongue laving over the sensitive skin. Before he pulled away, he lightly scraped his incisors over the reddening mark he’d left and Diana gasped softly, arching under his touch. Emboldened by her response, he sealed his mouth over her nipple, tongue hot and intoxicating as his hand covered her other breast.

Oh, she felt like she was on fire now, burning like a speck of starlight. Diana reached down, one hand taking Gaius’s jaw to bring him back to her wanting lips while the other palmed him where he was already straining against those damned cotton pants.

“God, Diana,” he groaned into her mouth, hips rutting against hers and causing her body to clench in response.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she slid her fingertips beneath his waistband, longing to feel more of his skin flush against hers. “There are no gods here,” she purred, nipping at his lower lip. “Just us.”

She wrapped her hand around him, delighting in the muffled curse he uttered against her neck. She stroked him several times before he gripped her wrist, lifted his head, ran his tongue along the shell of her ear, and murmured, “Your turn.”

Every muscle in her body went taut at that, her core pounding at the roughness of his voice, the promise it held.

Before she could draw him back to her, Gaius’s attention was on her chest, lips traveling down to the soft skin of her stomach, which was tense with anticipation. He kissed just below her navel, thumbs brushing over her hip bones as his fingers teased beneath the band of her pants, then her underwear.

Gaius paused, gaze meeting hers in a silent question. Biting hard on her lip, a blush creeping up her neck, Diana nodded.

He pulled her underwear and pants down together, sitting back on his knees to discard them somewhere on the bed. He grabbed the top of her foot, lifting her leg as he pressed his lips to the notch of her ankle, then made his way up her calf, fingers tickling the back of her knee as he nudged her legs apart, nestling between them. 

Diana’s breath hitched. He was so close, so close to where she wanted him,  _ needed _ him. 

“Gaius,” she rasped as he nipped the inside of her thigh, her voice hoarse and pleading. Those blue eyes met hers, trailing their gaze over her heaving form as he put his mouth right where she wanted it, that wicked tongue sliding through her folds, already slick with want.

Diana moaned, biting down on the back of her knuckle as her other hand gently wound itself into his curls. She pressed her feet into the mattress, unable to stop herself from bucking against his mouth. Gaius hummed against her, clearly satisfied with her response as he ran his tongue over her, relentless, and reached up with one hand to cup her breast, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

Diana could hardly hear herself think, much less hear whatever broken noises she was making as her mind spiraled down into this onslaught of warmth and pleasure. She knew at some point, she cried out as his tongue circled her clit, jolts of lightning shooting through her whole body. Panting, Diana shoved herself up to her elbows, wanting—no,  _ needing  _ to see him. Gaius met her gaze, his eyes dark with lust as he slipped a finger inside, then two, and curled them.

Diana keened, her body shuddering and legs tingling as her vision whited out and she fisted her hands in the sheets around them.

When she could finally breathe again, she tugged on his hair, drawing him back and urging him up the bed before he could refuse. Diana drew him into her arms, crushing her lips to his in a breathless, grateful kiss. She could taste herself on his tongue as her hands roamed over his shoulders and down the curve of his spine to his hips. She shoved at the waistband of his pants and Gaius drew back a fraction to meet her gaze, thumb swiping over her lower lip.

_ Are you sure? _

Diana took his face between her hands and kissed him slowly, sweetly.  _ Yes. _

The expression that crossed his face made Diana’s heart strain against her ribcage. It was adoring. Yielding. All for her.

He quickly did away with his pants and briefs, laughing lightly as Diana gripped his hips, tugging him back over her to rest against the cradle of her hips. Her hand rest across his backside, squeezing playfully, and he felt him grin against her lips. 

“You are an absolute menace,  _ diviana _ ,” he murmured, cupping the back of her head, fingers sifting through her hair.

“I can’t help it.” She nipped at his lip, eyes lidded. “I want you.”

“I want you too,” he admitted. “More than anything.” Gaius shook his head, in equal parts denial and awe. “You’re so much… more. You’re everything, Diana. Everything.”

“No,” she breathed, wrapping her leg around his hip to pull him in. “I’m your equal.”

Gaius kissed her deeply, arm sliding beneath her back as he slid in, finally rolling his hips against hers with a low moan. Diana’s lips parted in a silent “O” as she tilted her head back, eyes fluttering shut. He kissed every inch of her skin that he could reach as he moved within her, leaving violet marks that bloomed like flowers before they faded, healing over almost immediately. Some primal part of Diana wished they stayed, a visual reminder of how incredible it was to be wanted by him.

Diana’s attention was torn. Half of her was overwhelmed by the wonderful ache of him dragging against her, while the other was swimming in his whispered praise, his breath hot against her ear. When his hand slid down her stomach, adding his fingers to the mix, she shuddered, winding one hand into his hair while the other dragged blunt nails down his back. Gaius groaned against her lips, thrusting harder.

“More,” she gasped, the wave in her swelling, ready to crash, to pull her under until she didn’t know right from left, up from down. Until she only knew the delicious ache in her thighs, her pounding heart, and  _ him _ . Gaius nodded, his forehead brushing hers as he kissed her with a desperation she easily matched, tangling his hands into her hair. He ground into her harder, faster, reaching just the right speed to stoke the sparks already smoldering in her and creating a wildfire.

Diana keened, unravelling beneath him, and Gaius let out a choked groan as she tightened around him. Diana’s mind went blissfully blank as he thrust once, then twice more and shuddered to a halt, spilling inside her.

Diana was trembling and so was he. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, uneven breaths warming her flushed skin. “Diana…”

She combed her fingers through his hair, then stroked her hand down his neck. “I know.”

Gaius collapsed to her side, arm snaking over her waist to pull her to him. Diana reached up, smoothing his dark waves back from his forehead before he grabbed her wrist and kissed her palm. Diana beamed, brushing the back of her fingers across his cheek.

When Gaius met her gaze, his lips parted. “You’re so beautiful, Diana.”

She bit her cheek, face heating.  _ Now  _ she was feeling bashful? Because he called her pretty?

“Smile again,” he whispered and Diana’s chest had never felt so full. She flashed him another smile before shaking her head and kissing him softly. 

“When did you become such a softie?” she murmured against his lips and he rolled his eyes, holding her tighter against him. Diana laid her head against his chest, cherishing the sound of his heart beating steadily beneath her cheek as Gaius’s fingers absently traced shapes across her shoulders and down her arm.

Several minutes later, he asked slyly, “That wasn’t for warmth, was it?”

Diana huffed a laugh, slinging her arm across his stomach. “No. And the last two nights weren’t for warmth either.”

“Mm, I didn’t think so,” he hummed before shifting their bodies just enough to draw the comforter over them. “You’re a horrible liar.”

“Where you’re concerned, yes,” she admitted. “You know me too well.”

His gaze softened. “I don’t think I could ever know enough about you,  _ diviana. _ ”

Funny, how she had begun to think the same thing about him. There were so many questions between them, somehow more than there had ever been before despite this brief resolution. What did this mean for them? What did it mean  _ to _ them? Where would they go from here? 

But those were questions for another conversation, another day. For now, Diana just wanted to enjoy this, to lay with him without consequence or any thoughts of tomorrow. Diana pressed closer to him, tangling her legs with his. “Looks like I shouldn’t have gotten a room with two beds after all. What a waste.”

Gaius’s gaze lazily traversed the room, settling on what was supposed to be his bed. “I don’t know.” His lip curved. “We can use that one too. ‘For warmth.’”

“You’re insufferable,” Diana scoffed.

“I’m your equal,” he replied.

_ Yes,  _ she murmured down the bond, reaching up to tilt his face towards hers.  _ You are. _

And then she kissed him, losing herself in his warm embrace once more.


	15. Chapter 14: New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the honeymoon phase.

**_Zermatt, Switzerland, 2042_ **

**_Two days later_ **

Kissing him was as easy as breathing.

The sheets whispered against Diana’s skin as their bodies moved together, syrupy slow, the last dregs of sleep fading. She slid her fingers through Gaius’s hair, sighing contentedly as his hand swept over the curve of her spine, his bare skin delightfully warm against hers.

Everything about this was gentle, relaxed, exploratory. This was uncharted territory—being able to touch each other without restraint, to share a gaze unburdened by agony, to speak without having to navigate a minefield of lies. They were still becoming familiar with each other on this new level of intimacy, and Diana had to admit that it was every bit terrifying as it was liberating to have someone know her the way Gaius did. She had opened her mind to him a long time ago but if she was being honest, every second she spent with him now made her want to fold like a weak hand of cards and share everything she could give.

Diana knew that Gaius was in a similar boat. She had seen the way his expression would shift in the slightest of ways whenever their conversations veered towards thoughts of the future. She felt his uncertainty, his longing, and even an odd undercurrent of sadness she didn’t understand whenever they breached the topic of life beyond these wooden walls, beyond the next few days.

Diana didn’t know what any of this stuff between them meant, only that it meant  _ something _ , and for now, that was enough. The rest of it, they could get to in time.

But this? Touching him, letting him touch her— _ this _ was easy.  _ This _ was good. And Gaius, bless him, was personally committed to learning every inch of her body. The things that made her toes curl, her lips part, her legs tremble. 

“Good evening,” Diana murmured against the shell of his ear as he pressed tender kisses to her jaw, working his way down.

“Sleep well?” Gaius mumbled against her neck and Diana shivered as the low timbre of his voice, still husky with sleep, sent little vibrations across her skin.

“Like a baby,” she grinned, pushing his hair back to see him better as he crawled over her, kissing her sternum, fingers framing her ribs. “I had the most wonderful dream.”

Gaius raised a brow at her, running a stray hand down her side to gently hold her knee against his waist. “Tell me about it.”

“Well,” Diana began, her lips curving as she stretched, arching her back and pushing her chest into his touch. Gaius’s mouth drew into a smirk and he followed her cue, mouthing along her breast. She sighed, resting her hand on his shoulder and rubbing small circles into the tense muscle as she continued on. “There was you. And me.”

“Mmhm.” Gaius hummed in wordless encouragement to go on and Diana’s toes curled, her thighs pressing together.

“Alone,” she added, wrapping one of his dark curls around her finger.

“I like the sound of that,” he chuckled, tongue swiping over her nipple. “What else?”

“Oh, I think you can imagine what transpired,” Diana teased although her voice quivered a little, her focus wavering. “It went a little bit like this, actually.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

“Then I suppose it’s in our best interest to make those dreams come true,” Gaius said innocently, shifting the leg he had held against her hip to rest atop his shoulder. There was a mischievous gleam in his eye that Diana had recently come accustomed to as he retreated down the bed that told her exactly what he planned to do to make her sing.

She was about to let him, too, when she let her head fall back against the pillow, gaze falling on the window to her left. Beyond, she could see the golden lights of Zermatt, sparkling in the night. The sight of it reminded her of a promise she made to herself last night, that she would take some time to explore and appreciate being in this incredible alpine village while she was here. Although Diana supposed that she couldn’t exactly do that if she was committed to spending the entire night in bed with Gaius,  _ again _ . Sighing internally, Diana realized that if she didn’t stop this now, she never would.

Before Gaius could taste her, Diana squeezed his shoulder, drawing him up with a suffering sigh. As he settled onto the bed beside her, he raised an eyebrow. She knew he could feel her desire as acutely as she could feel his, but he didn’t push the matter.

Diana pushed herself up to her elbow, trailing her fingers over his chest. “As much as I want to stay here all night with you—and believe me, I do—I want to enjoy Switzerland while we’re here and do it without having to walk 60 miles.”

Gaius huffed a laugh, covering her hand with his. “I suppose that’s fair.”

Diana looked down at him, her gaze softening. “You’ll come out with me tonight, right?”

For him, it wasn’t even a question. “Of course.”

Diana smiled, nodding. “Perfect. I’m going to go take a bath. I want to check out the tub.” 

She dragged herself out of bed, fingers combing through her tangled hair as she grabbed her bathrobe and a few clothes she had purchased from the hotel’s boutique when they slipped out of the room in the early hours of the morning the day before to cash in on the lodge’s complimentary continental breakfast. 

As she rounded the corner to the bathroom, she paused, glancing back at him over her shoulder. Maybe she could kill two birds with one stone. “You could… join me, if you want.”

Something in her stomach clenched at the way his eyes darkened ever so slightly with lust, his brow raising in amusement. Before he could respond, Diana slipped into the bathroom, tossing her pile of clothes on the counter and turning on the bath’s faucet. 

Bath wasn’t really the right word. This was more of a hot tub, with seats along the walls, small jets embedded in the sides. Diana was in the middle of studying the array of oils and bath salts the hotel provided when Gaius appeared behind her, looking over her shoulder at the collection. Reaching around her, he plucked a small tin of salt and flipped the lid open, sniffing it once before he pressed it into her palm and scouted out a small bottle of oil.

_ Those should go nicely together, _ he supplied, kissing her shoulder as he set his clothes, neatly folded, beside her pile.

_ How do you know that?  _ she questioned, although she didn’t bother looking beyond what he had picked out. She scattered salts among the water, adding in the scented oil. Before long, the delicate, night-filled scent of jasmine wafted through the room, tendrils of steam caressing her body.

He gave her a lopsided smile.  _ I know a thing or two about luxury, _ diviana.

_ I don’t doubt that. _ She gave him a knowing smirk, then gently placed her hand on his shoulder to steady herself. Gaius held her elbow as she put one leg over the edge of the tub, gingerly testing the water’s temperature before stepping in.

Oh, that was  _ divine _ . Diana groaned as she sat against the wall, the water going all the way up to her neck, sore muscles sighing in relief. Gaius chuckled and settled in across from her, ducking his head beneath the water’s fragrant surface.

Diana simply observed him, draping her arms over the lip of the tub, chewing her lip as he resurfaced, dark hair slicked back, little rivulets of water trailing down his sculpted cheekbones, falling into the hollows of his neck. Diana watched one droplet roll down his chest, lower, lower…

_ I thought you wanted to go out tonight,  _ Gaius mused in her head and Diana snapped her head up, catching his knowing expression. She felt her blood rush to her face but forced her features to relax into a mask of neutrality.

_ I do.  _ She shrugged, trailing her fingers across the water.  _ I was just admiring the view. _

Gaius’s lip curved and he turned, grabbing a small bottle of shampoo. “Come here.”

Diana submerged herself, soaking her hair and gliding over to him. Gaius’s hand settled on her hip, guiding her to sit between his knees. He placed a quick kiss to the edge of her jaw, then swept her dark hair over her shoulders to rest against her back, fingertips brushing the sides of her neck as he did.

“What do you want to do tonight?” he asked, pouring soap into his hand and gently lathering it into her hair, fingers massaging her scalp. Diana let out a sigh, relaxing beneath his touch.

“Find a restaurant,” she hummed, eyes drifting closed as she tilted her head back. “Order some appetizers. Order drinks. Order dinner. Order dessert. Find a bakery. By some pastries.”

“It sounds like you just want to eat.” Diana could tell by the sound of his voice that Gaius was smiling. She wanted to see it. She turned, sitting sideways across his lap and he tsked. “I wasn’t done yet.”

“You can still do it like this,” she shrugged, plucking the shampoo bottle from his hands. “Now I can wash you, too.”

Gaius didn’t object as she dumped some of the soap into his hair and combed it through his locks. When he leaned in to resume his progress, Diana pecked the corner of his mouth; his smile deepened and she did it again.

“Sit still,” he mumbled, rolling his eyes. “I’m going to get soap in your eyes.”

“A small price to pay,” retorted, but focused on washing his hair, nails scratching lightly against his scalp.

This was… nice. Diana was struck by how easy being here with Gaius was, sitting in silence, just washing each other. This was yet another example of how well they coexisted together, fit together, worked together. She couldn’t help but wish that things could have always been this simple between them and found herself wondering if they could have had this sooner. But there was no use in going down that rabbit hole. They were here now, and that was all that mattered.

A few minutes later, after they had washed their hair out, Gaius poured body wash into his palm and motioned for her to turn around. “I’ll get your back.”

Diana didn’t argue and he set to work scrubbing her shoulders, her neck, fingers expertly kneading her tense muscles. She jolted, biting down hard on her cheek as she fought down what would have been an embarrassing moan in response to a mixture of a pleasant sort of pain mixed and relief that rolled through her, inadvertently lighting a fire low in her belly. Diana gritted her teeth as his thumbs pressed into the ridges of her spine. 

This was going to be a test of restraint then.

After several agonizing minutes, Gaius finally washed the soap from her skin with water and Diana turned, trying in vain not to show how flustered she was, although color was high in her cheeks. Gaius’s face was neutral as he regarded her, more soap ready in his hands.

Right. Because there was still so much left of her to clean. Diana’s toes curled. If just washing her back had been that enticing… 

Diana shifted, framing Gaius’s thighs with her knees to face him better and grabbed a bar of soap, clenching it hard in her fist to stop her fingers from trembling. She held it to his chest just as he began at her collarbone. He lifted a brow.

Diana swallowed but didn’t back down.  _ I can control myself. Can you? _

Gaius huffed, his breath warming her skin.  _ Of course I can. _

_ Then this shouldn’t be a problem.  _ Before he could respond, Diana ran the soap across his tan skin, trying to focus on washing him rather than the feel of his hands on her. Subconsciously, her legs tensed around his as he cupped her breasts, thumbs swiping over her nipples, lathered in body wash.

_ Self-restraint,  _ Diana told herself even as her breath hitched.  _ Self-restraint. _

She dragged the bar of soap lower, scrubbing the hard planes of his stomach while his attention was still on her breasts, his touch tantalizing. Diana clenched her jaw. “I think they’re clean, Gaius.”

His eyes flicked up to hers. “I am being thorough.”

_ Thorough my ass,  _ she thought, biting so hard on the inside of her lip, she drew blood. When he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, a small whimper sounded from the back of her throat and she glared at him. 

_ I thought you could control yourself _ , he teased, eyes sparkling in amusement, and Diana scowled.

_ You’re hardly playing fair,  _ she snapped back, fingers tightening on the bar of soap. 

Gaius tilted his head slyly, lips curving.  _ I wasn’t aware we were playing. _

Oh, so that was how he was going to be then. Diana ground her teeth, steeling her resolve. Fine. If he was going to act up, she could return the favor. She dipped her hands below the water, swiping the soap along his lower stomach as she used her other hand to scrape her nails along the inside of his thigh. She watched his pupils blow wide, spots of color blooming across his cheeks.

_ Good,  _ she hummed to herself.

Gaius drew back, dumping more soap into his hands, a muscle feathering in his jaw. He held her gaze, a hint of a challenge gleaming in his eyes as he skated one palm down the flat of her stomach and the other slipped between her legs.

Diana’s hips jerked as his fingers worked against her and she snarled in his mind,  _ Bastard. _

He innocently raised his eyebrows at her as if to say,  _ Who, me? _

Without prelude, she took him into her hand, delighted to find that he was already half-hard just from touching _ her, _ and ran the soap along his length, applying just enough pressure to make up for the lack of friction.

Gaius sucked in a sharp breath, his brows lowering as he gripped her hip with her free hand.  _ Now who’s not playing fair? _

_ Still you,  _ she countered, not trusting herself to speak aloud as her body heated, practically burning in the warm water. The pads of his fingers circled her clit, his touch slick with soap and her own need, and Diana bit back a groan. She refused to sing until he did.

Diana fit the bar into the palm of her hand before wrapping her fingers, stroking without giving him the friction he needed. She watched in triumph, swiping her thumb over the head of him as his eyes fluttered shut and he tilted his face back, the curves of his throat standing out in stark relief as he let an unsteady moan.

“Now we’re even,” she cooed, a little breathless both from his ministrations and just the sight of him, so vulnerable and god damned beautiful under her touch. He belonged in a Renaissance painting, one with clouds and cherubs and whatever heavenly bullshit usually appeared in those works of art that she couldn’t remember for the life of her. After all, how could she? When he was touching her like  _ this _ and her name sounded like a prayer on his lips?

All Diana knew was that he looked like an angel, absolutely ethereal. The sight of him like this, holy but so debauched, left her both entranced and feeling as if she were intruding on something private. If this was one of the Roman myths Gaius had recently told her about, then she was Actaeon, stumbling upon the sight of a god in their naked, full glory and— _ damn it _ , if she was Acteon, that made him the goddess Diana. The absurdity of that allusion almost made her bark with laughter as her mind hazed with the pleasure he freely gave her.

Diana moaned at last as he easily slid two fingers inside, curling them against her walls. She ground down on his hand, involuntarily clenching, feeling at once full but still left wanting more. 

Before her mind could spiral even further, Diana withdrew her touch, casting the soap aside. It splashed somewhere behind her as she leaned forward, gripping the back of Gaius’s neck and pulling him in for a searing kiss. He moaned against her as she swiped her tongue against his lip, ravenous.

Gaius drew back, breathing hard. “I thought you said—”

“I know what I said. I take it back.” Diana crushed her lips against his and his fingers slipped out, causing a whine to build in the back of her throat. He gripped the underside of her thigh, pulling her over him and they both swore as Diana ground herself against him at last.

Zermatt and dinner could wait a little while longer, Diana decided as she rose on her knees, took him in her hand once more, and sheathed him in one move. Gaius swore in some language Diana didn’t recognize as she rolled her hips against him, draping one arm over his shoulder and cupping his cheek with her other hand, bringing their foreheads together. She wanted to see him, to see how his eyelashes fluttered and lips parted as she bore down on him, setting a steady but sensual pace.

Gaius’s hands roamed down her spine, settling on her backside and helping her along as he thrust up to meet each roll of her hips. It didn’t take long for the pleasure to build up in Diana, not with all of the wanting and (poor) self-restraint that had led up to this. She rocked against him, her stomach tightening as she breathed into the space between them, “Gaius, I’m not going to last.”

He had been watching, transfixed, all of the places they met. At her admission, his eyes flicked up to hers and she saw the hunger in them, the desire to please. He removed one hand from her back and set his fingers against the apex of her thighs and she shuddered, clenching hard around him. Every muscle in her body—her thighs, her stomach, her arms—felt coiled so tight, and every snap of her hips and rub of his fingers set her closer to the edge. 

It was everything, the savage pace she had adopted, the desperate grip he kept on her back, and the look of complete and total surrender that crossed his face that urged her faster, harder, until it was too much and she went tumbling, hurtling herself over the edge of that cliff. She pulled Gaius tighter to her, gasping his name against his lips as she came, not slowing her pace until he groaned and she felt him stiffen and spill inside her, sated.

They stayed like that for a long while, breathing hard and still reeling. Diana’s head fell to his shoulder and Gaius ran a soothing hand down her back as he pressed his lips to her temple. In response, she kissed his neck and swiped her thumb across his shoulder.

When Diana finally caught her breath, she said, “I still want to get dinner.”

Gaius huffed, his breath ghosting over her forehead. “I’d expect nothing less of you.”

Diana lifted her head, glancing around the tub and wrinkled her nose. “I think we’re going to have to shower after this.”

Gaius hummed in agreement and shifted them so he had one arm beneath her shoulders and another at her knees. He stood, carrying her out of the tub and to the shower stall. He set her on her feet and stepped in beside her, shutting the glass door.

“We’re just showering,” Diana declared, pointing a finger at him as she turned on the faucet. “I mean it.”

Gaius smirked at her, eyes dancing. “Of course.”

* * *

“This is a nice shirt on you,” Diana noted, leaning across the table to tug on the cuff of Gaius’s shirt, a white cotton button-up. “You should wear more like it.”

They sat in a low lit restaurant, somewhere off of the main street in Zermatt, having just finished their main dinner course and ordered dessert. Fragrant spices and the din of conversation whirled around them. It was perhaps, the first time in weeks that they had been surrounded by so many people, and not had to hide.

“It’s not very practical for fighting,” Gaius frowned down at it as he drank from a glass of red wine. “Or camping. Or hiking.”

“And a doublet and a cape ever was?” Diana rolled her eyes, brushing her fingers over the back of his hand as she sat back, setting her elbow on the table and fitting her chin in her palm. “Adrian and Kamilah fought in pantsuits all the time.”

“Fine. It’s not very easy to  _ clean _ ,” Gaius rephrased, with a sigh. “Adrian and Kamilah have closets full of identical suits. “I have a backpack.  _ Had _ a backpack.”

“We’ll get you a new one. A bigger one.” Diana ran her finger over the rim of her wine glass as she added, “One with lots of space for button-ups.”

His lip curved and he leaned back as their server reappeared with two plates in hand, decadent desserts topped on each. An elegant roll of sponge cake, cream, and strawberries for Diana and some sort of tart piled on with glazed fruits for Gaius. He thanked the server and picked up a small fork before turning back to her. “You spoil me.”

“I would be a liar if I told you that I wasn’t partially acting in my best interest.” Diana mirrored him, reaching for her own utensil and using the side of it to cut into her roll. “Besides, a backpack is nothing,” Diana clicked her tongue and tapped her foot against his below the table. She lowered her voice, looking at him through her lashes. “You have yet to learn what it is to be spoiled by me.”

Diana watched as color rose in his neck, just above the collar of his shirt. Interesting.

She ran her foot along the length of his calf and he shot her a look that was both amused and scolding, well aware of what she was up to. Diana took a bite of her roll, reveling in its creamy texture and sweet taste before she went on. “What else shall we get for you? A new coat,” she wondered aloud, “something warm and soft. New shoes…” She took another bite, noticing that Gaius still had not touched his dessert. “What would you like?”

“I have all that I need,  _ diviana _ .” Gaius shook his head, his fork still hovering in the air. “You have already given me enough. I don’t need anything else.”

“Want and need aren’t the same thing, Gaius,” she chided and he averted his gaze, finally digging into the tart on his plate. 

Diana was about to return her focus to her own food when he mumbled, “I want you.”

Her lips curved at the sentiment, heart softening. There was nothing charged or suggestive about that statement this time. Just an honest admission. 

Sometimes it caught her off guard, his more obvious expressions of affection. As they broke down these walls between them Diana had picked up on the subtle ways he showed he cared: delicate brushes of his fingers against her skin, reaffirming his confidence in her, carrying her bags when her arms got sore. Many of these things, she noted, he had shown from the beginning. In the last two days, Diana had come to the realization that he had always been giving to her, whether it be advice, encouragement, snacks, or even pieces of himself.

Gaius leaned across the table, drawing Diana out of her thoughts. She watched as he set what appeared to be some sort of glazed fruit on her plate. When she looked closer, she realized they were sliced peaches.

Diana fought down a smile. Even now… 

She ran the notch of her ankle down his leg before pulling back, the gesture one of gratitude this time rather than provocative. But his words, his behaviors… they had her thinking.

_ So you are more than happy to treat me, but you balk at the prospect of receiving _ , she mused through their bond,  _ What is it? Do you think you are still undeserving of the things you want?  _ Then she paused, running her tongue over her teeth in hesitation before she added gently,  _ Of me? _

She didn’t need the bond to see the answer in his eyes.  _ Yes. _

Something in her chest twinged painfully at that. 

Diana reached across the table, took his hand, and pressed her lips to his knuckles. She squeezed his fingers, forcing him to meet her gaze.  _ You are deserving of this, whatever it is. You are deserving of happiness, even if you don’t believe it. _

The look he gave her was agonized, as if her words were too much to bear. This was not the time for this conversation, Diana knew. She could not convince him to abandon his own skewed view of himself in one night or like this. So for now, she would leave it. 

But before she returned her attention to her dessert she added,  _ With me, Gaius, you’re going to get as well as you give. _ She shoveled more of the spongy roll into her mouth, lips dragging along the fork as she shot him a searing look.  _ And I know how well you do that. _

Diana thought he looked quite lovely when he blushed. 


	16. Chapter 15: Borrowed Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so the plot thickens.

**_Zermatt, Switzerland, 2042_ **

After leaving the restaurant, Diana and Gaius strolled down the pedestrian streets of Zermatt, peeking their heads into small shops and bakeries as they went. Most stores were starting to close, leaving little to do besides wander, but Diana wasn’t quite ready to head back to the hotel. She knew better than to take any moments of peace and quiet for granted and wanted to see as much of Zermatt before they were either found or had to leave again.

But more than that, there was a feeling in her gut that subtly urged her to stay out just a little while longer, to idle down yet another sidestreet. She had not yet decided if it was wanderlust, intuition, or something else.

“Tell me something,” Diana said as they turned around another corner onto another avenue bordered by immaculate buildings of stone and wood. “Anything.”

This had become their thing, ever since that day in the barn. “Tell me something,” one of them would request. Not for the sake of conversation or to banish the silence that fell between them, but to swap little pieces of themselves. To share not because they had to, but because they wanted to. Diana knew that with the bond, she could easily learn whatever she wanted about Gaius and he could do the same. But there was something different about talking like this, about taking their time when there was an eternity stretched out before them. There was nothing that said fate had to be the only thing that bound them.

Gaius pursed his lips, his hands in his pockets as he glanced thoughtfully at the star-flecked sky. After a long moment passed, he finally spoke, his voice distant. “When I was a child and I couldn’t sleep, my mother would take me down to the beach. We would sit below the docks, watching ships come and go for hours, counting them. I was always looking for something…” Gaius’s brow pinched as if he were trying hard to recollect the memories. 

“My father…” he murmured at last, wonder coloring his voice. “He was… a sailor. I was always looking for him, trying to find the boat I last saw him leave on, exhausting myself until I fell asleep. Every morning, I woke up back in our home, safely tucked beneath my mother’s arm.” He shook his head. “I still don’t know how she managed to carry me back up all of those steps every time.”

Diana wanted to brush her thumb over his brow and wipe away the crease that had formed there. There was an odd look in his eyes, despondent and confused all at once, as if he was mourning something but didn’t know what or why.

“I’ve never heard you talk about your life before being Turned,” Diana said softly. “Just that one time on the island about Ariadne.” His wife.

It was so easy for Diana to forget how long Gaius had been alive, and even easier forget how much living could happen in three thousand years, regardless of whether or not he had really been himself. She couldn’t quite wrap her head around the fact that he had once been married — even if he had only been a young man at the time and it lasted barely six months. After all, Adrian had been married. He had even had a son. But somehow, that had been easier to rationalize than this. Perhaps it was because it was more fitting of his identity and the loss of them had shaped his life after being Turned. Regardless, Diana realized once again that there were aspects of Gaius’s life she still didn’t know and probably more things that she could not even begin to comprehend.

“I still don’t remember most of it,” Gaius admitted with a frown, his eyes downcast. “I know that Rheya made me forget many things, but perhaps I have just lived too long to remember anymore.”

“I could try to help you recover some of those memories,” Diana offered. She couldn’t imagine being unable to remember her own family. Growing up, they were practically all she had. If she forgot them, she would have almost nothing left of her old life. 

Gaius opened his mouth, then hesitated and closed it, shaking his head. “I appreciate the offer, Diana. Perhaps one day, but I don’t think I could…” His mouth twisted as he sought out the words he was looking for. “Not right now. I’m still trying to figure out what I am now. To learn more about the man I once was… I don’t know what that will do.”

Diana nodded. He had told her once years ago that without Rheya’s influence, he wasn’t sure where he stood.  _ I was one man. Then Rheya changed me into something else. Now that change is undone. Am I that first man? The second? Something else entirely? _

“Well, whenever you decide that you do want to learn more, I’ll help you,” Diana promised and he met her gaze. “And for what it’s worth,” she added, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Most people don’t know who they are. Sometimes I don’t even know either. But when you think you’ve got it figured out, no matter how long it takes or how temporary it is, I’ll still be here.”

Gaius smiled softly and reached out, squeezing her hand. “Thank you, Diana.”

“Of course,” she replied, lacing her fingers with his before he could think to pull away. 

It was easy to be with him in the comfort of their room, where they could pretend the rest of the world didn’t exist. Being out in the streets of Zermatt was a small step up. They were still relatively isolated in this alpine village, geographically and socially, but taking that step outside made everything a bit more real. Several times tonight, Diana found herself wondering what would become of them and what sort of ramifications this might have when they left, because surely, there would be. Not only because she would have to tell the others what transpired if this continued, but her life had a habit of being unnecessarily complicated. 

“What do you remember about your mother?” Diana asked, bumping his shoulder with hers. His expression seemed to lighten, indicating this was not such a heavy topic.

“She was strong,” Gaius began, his fingers tightening around hers. “Kind. She always knew just the right thing to say, to me and to everyone else. We didn’t have much sometimes, but she always gave to people in need.” He glanced sidelong at Diana. “You kind of remind me of her. The pieces I remember, anyway.”

Diana felt a comforting warmth spread throughout her body, shielding her from the evening’s chilly air. She tilted her head up, studying his face. “What did she look like?”

How much of him was his mother? How much, his father? If she knew what his parents had looked like, could she discern which features he inherited from each?

His eyes were trained on some point in the distance, focused once again although his expression was untroubled. “I have her eyes. Her skin was fair in the rainy seasons, but golden in the summer. Her hair, however, was always black as pitch, no matter how many hours we spent in the sun. High cheekbones, the corners of her eyes creased from smiling.”

“She sounds lovely,” Diana said, deciding that aside from the hair, Gaius must look a lot like his mother. 

He nodded. “I don’t know how my father managed to part with her every time he had to leave. But I’ve been told that the call of the ocean is rather irresistible for the seafaring folk.” He huffed, a slight edge to his voice. “They are beside themselves with longing and exhaustion when they are away but miserable and restless when they are home.”

“I suppose I could see where they’re coming from,” Diana conceded after a moment of thought, gazing past the mountains that bordered the village. 

“Is that so?” Gaius raised a brow, tilting his head. “I didn’t know you had an affinity for the sea.”

“I always have,” Diana shrugged. “I used to wonder how surfers could throw themselves into the ocean and attempt to ride the waves. It would be so easy to wipe out, to get pulled into the undertow and drown. They get beaten around so much, and yet, they keep going back to chase that perfect ride. And I wondered why they did that. Why they would take the risk.”

Diana was aware of Gaius’s eyes intently trained on her face as she went on, still working out her thoughts on the matter as she shared them. “But I guess the risk is part of the appeal. Knowing that you’re in the middle of something so incomprehensibly vast and powerful. Knowing that you’re so insignificant and could easily be snuffed out at a moment’s notice. There’s a sort of thrill that comes with challenging that kind of power, of coexisting with it.”

Gaius worked his jaw, gaze thoughtful as he considered her point of view. “That is very fitting of you to say.”

Diana’s brows drew together. “What do you mean?”

He raised an eyebrow as if he was surprised she didn’t see what he did. “What you just described [ _ — _ ](https://mauldings.tumblr.com/post/616631610646953984/boundchapter-14-new) the surfers. They sound a lot like you. Running with deadly beings that could have just as easily killed you as welcomed you. Going toe-to-toe with powers you can’t even comprehend. Even as a mortal, you challenged me, knowing it could be suicide. It’s as if you like being in mortal peril, too.”

Diana chewed her lip, mulling that over. She had never thought about it that way, but from his point of view, it made perfect sense. “Maybe I did once,” she relented, absently tugging on a strand of her hair. 

“But not now?”

“No,” she decided, sighing. She watched as her breath clouded before her and slowly dissipated on the wind before continuing on. “Sometimes I crave action. The adrenaline. The opportunity to let go, just for a little bit. But not like this, whatever mystery we’re in right now,” she waved her hand at their surroundings. “I’m okay with a little fighting, especially if I’m doing it to protect people. But right now, I just want peace. I’m sick of other people’s lives being at stake. I can’t help but feel like their fate rests in my hands.”

“Diana…”

“Yes, I have Rheya’s powers,” she continued, her throat tightening and cheeks heating with frustration. “But does that really make me qualified to have this much responsibility? My hands are just as stained with sin as anyone else’s. Who’s to say if I will be able to stop Demetrius’s influence and not fall to it?”

“I think you are capable of more good and restraint than you believe, which is why you are a perfect fit. Not just because you have her powers,” Gaius murmured, his gaze roaming across the buildings around them. “I just wish you didn’t think that you were alone in this. If you slip up, someone else will catch you.”

Diana knew he was trying to be comforting and that his logic was sound. But the idea of having others get involved on her behalf [ _ — _ ](https://mauldings.tumblr.com/post/616631610646953984/boundchapter-14-new) especially if it was because she failed _ — _ wasn’t as reassuring as it was meant to be.

They continued for a little while, observing as other people trickled through the streets, slowly retreating to their homes in search of rest and shelter from the cooling night. As the town collectively fell into silence, they came upon a steepled church of gray and white stone. It towered over them, an ancient place that spoke of refuge and repentance but only seemed hollow and forlorn in its emptiness.

Diana stared up at the belltower, watching as gilded arms slowly rotated around the structure’s clock face, and couldn’t help but feel as if it was counting down the seconds until their time here was up, reminding her that the sanctuary she found was only temporary.

“I wish that I could give you the peace you deserve, Diana,” Gaius said softly beside her, his breath turning to mist in front of them.

Diana’s chest caved and she turned to him, tenderly pushing his hair away from his face and fitting her palm against his cheek, his skin cool from the night air. She spoke honestly, pouring her heart into her words. “This is enough for me, Gaius. You are enough and more.”

Unable to bear the anguish that would most certainly cross his features in response, Diana closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his, kissing him softly, sweetly. His arms came up around her, his touch at once tentative and grounding. She let herself lean into his embrace for a little while longer, touching her forehead to his briefly before drawing away, contenting herself with simply holding his hand for now.

Eventually, they drew away from the church, leaving the solemn air behind. As they meandered back to their hotel, Diana picked up a bag of baked goods from a closing café, taking with her the scent of roasted coffee and nutmeg. Before they turned onto the final street that led them back to the lodge, Diana felt a slight presence brush against her mind and caught movement on her peripheral.

She stilled, pulling Gaius to a halt as she turned, her eyes settling on a small antique store on the corner of the block. Inside, an elderly man slowly bustled around a glass display case tucking only the valuable items into a separate box for safekeeping. Diana watched the man as he set about his tasks with great care, not because he dealt with fragile objects but because he clearly cared about what he did and possessed. 

She was momentarily struck by how normal life could still go on despite how things changed around them. That would have been her in merely thirty years, not necessarily owning an antique shop, but growing old and hopefully doing what she loved. She had told Gaius that she had long since made peace with her lost life, but sometimes she couldn’t help but feel a little sorrowful as she watched the people she grew up with age and move on while she stayed the same.

Gaius squeezed her hand, the gesture comforting as if he knew what she had been thinking. She supposed he probably did. Diana was about to let her lead him away when her gaze caught on something that glinted in the storefront window among other knick knacks. Her breath caught and she tightened her grip on Gaius’s hand. 

“Look,” she breathed and he followed her line of sight.  _ The knife. _

It almost looked just as it had in her dreams, with its long curved blade and hilt of bone, although it was significantly tarnished, the handle blackened in some parts as if someone had tossed it into a fire. It’s presence was faint, muted, as if there was a damper on it. But why? To keep it hidden? And from whom?

She and Gaius shared a look before wordlessly deciding to approach the store. Diana pushed the door open, a bell chiming above the entryway as they stepped inside. The store was cramped full of shelves stocked with all sorts of odds and ends. An L-shaped counter stood against one wall, topped with glass display cases and an ancient cash register. It smelled faintly of pumpkin spice as if a candle had been burning not even an hour ago. “Hello? Are you still open? I hope it’s not too late.”

The old man looked up, thick eyebrows raised and pale blue eyes magnified by his thick glasses. His face split into a kind smile worn with laugh lines. “Oh no, come in, come in!” he said cheerfully in a thick German accent. “Have a look around! I still have time before I’m finished packing up. Don’t get many customers this time of year. Winter brings the snow crowd.”

“Actually,” Diana began, pulling Gaius with her further into the store as she waved towards the window. “I was interested in the knife you had on display.”

“That old thing?” He lifted a snowy brow, setting his box of valuables on the counter before hobbling over to the storefront.

“Yeah. I’ve, uh, got a friend at home who likes to collect knives,” Diana supplied, her eyes briefly flicking to Gaius as she let go of his hand and followed the man. “She asked me to bring her back a souvenir.”

The shopkeep paused, shaky hands outstretched towards the blade’s handle. He jutted a thumb over his shoulder. “Oh. Well in that case, I’ve got plenty of nicer knives in the back _ — _ ”

“Oh, that’s alright,” Gaius cut in smoothly, stepping up to Diana’s side. “Our friend has a very particular taste. Bone hilts and whatnot. An odd collection, but to each his own, I suppose.”

“Right you are. “To each his own. Hmm….” The man squinted, casually plucking the blade off its display and turning it to find the tiny price tag that was attached to the hilt by a bit of yarn. “Ah, here we are. Says here it’s twenty francs,” he looked up, waving his hand nonchalantly. “But I’ll give it to you for fifteen, since it’s a bit burned and all. Found it in a box full of baubles at an estate sale a while back. ”

“Do you accept cards? Or US dollars?”

“Either’s fine,” he shrugged.

“Perfect.” Diana gave him an easy smile. “We’ll take it.”

The man nodded and they followed him to his counter where the decrepit register sat. Diana was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet as she handed him her card, relieved that she didn’t have to fight or kill anything for this. Yet. 

Inside her pocket, she crossed her fingers, just in case.

“Here you go,” the man said at last, handing her card back first, then the knife. “I would have wrapped it, but we’re all out of paper.”

“That’s alright. We appreciate it nonetheless,” Gaius assured him, taking the blade from his hands before Diana could reach for it. He tucked it into the inside of his coat and sent her a look that clearly said,  _ You should not be touching this yet. _

Diana sighed. That was fair.

They thanked the shopkeep again, bidding him a goodnight, and stepped out onto the street. Diana let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding when they left the store and nothing horrible befell them. She was even more surprised when they made it all the way back to the hotel room without any issues.

“That was… easy,” Diana frowned as she closed the door to their room behind her, then knocked on the wooden wall for good measure.

“Feels  _ too _ easy.” Gaius’s brows were drawn together, clearly suspicious as he withdrew the blade and set it carefully on the table against the wall.

Slowly, Diana shook her head and came to stand beside him. As she spoke, she knew her words to be true. “No. I don’t think anyone knows what this is. The shopkeep included. Even I could barely detect it, and we’ve been in town for days. I had no idea this was here.”

Gaius’s frown only deepened and his eyes fell to the golden chain around Diana’s neck, the amulet hidden beneath her shirt. “It seems that the Compass knew where we needed to go before we even did.”

She raised her brows, her fingertips brushing the pendant through her clothing. “You think the amulet brought us here because of the blade? But how did it even know we needed it? Or where the knife was?”

“I don’t know, Diana,” Gaius admitted, running a hand through his hair. “All I know is that for some reason, you and these artifacts are connected. Perhaps the amulet knew what you needed when you established a blood link to it. Or perhaps the artifacts themselves know that they are meant to be used together for something.”

Diana pressed the heels of her hand against her eyes. “Christ.”

“As for how the amulet knew where the knife was,” Gaius continued. “I don’t think it did. Not precisely at least, just the general location. That’s why we ended up at the farm instead.”

“Well, how did it even know that it was in Switzerland?” Diana wondered aloud. She wasn’t sure why she was asking Gaius, but she had to admit he was pretty good about developing fairly sound explanations based on what few clues they had. He was a good fighter, yes, but an even better thinker. 

Gaius turning, leaning back against the table as he folded his arms, brows furrowed in thought. Diana could practically see his mind churning through possible explanations as he worked his jaw. When his eyes sharpened and filled with clarity not even a minute later, she knew he had fit the pieces together. “You said you had heard voices when you made contact with the Compass, yes?”

She tilted her head, sitting down on the foot of the bed. “Yeah…”

“Perhaps they knew,” Gaius mused and Diana was surprised that he was being completely serious.

“What?”

“It’s entirely possible that the reason it knew is because that amulet is bound to an entity of sorts. Something sentient,” Gaius explained.

“What, like a  _ ghost? _ ” Diana scoffed, rolling her eyes. Maybe she had jumped the gun a bit in assuming that Gaius could be trusted to always provide a  _ rational _ explanation.

“ _ No _ , not a ghost. Don’t be ridiculous.” His eyes narrowed at her. “Do you consider me to be a fool?”

“No, but I think you’re being a little absurd.” She shook her head, snickering to herself. “You are the last person I would ever expect to suggest my necklace is  _ haunted _ .”

“That’s not what I’m —” Gaius was fully scowling now, his irritation stinging like a whip down the bond. “I’m not going to talk to you if you’re not going to take me seriously, Bloodkeeper.”

_ Bloodkeeper.  _ Oh, he was  _ not _ happy with her.

Diana forced the smirk off her face, holding her hands out, palms up to show that she was done mocking. “Sorry. But you have to admit it is a little crazy.”

He glared at her.

“Okay, fine. It’s not.” She rolled her eyes and waved her hand. “Go on. I promise I’m listening.”

Gaius stared down his nose at her for a long moment before he took a deep breath and continued. “I don’t think the Compass is haunted. But perhaps it’s a bridge of sorts. I’ve heard of relics that could connect their user to wells of power. Locations like the forest in Bergen, magical creatures, and so on. When you establish a blood contact with the amulet, the amulet didn’t transport you—”

“It forged a connection to something powerful enough that could,” Diana finished, picking up on his line of thought and he nodded.

Okay, that was reasonable enough. After they made the jump from Copenhagen to the barn, Diana had doubted that even her blood was powerful enough to do something as insane as transport them hundreds of miles away from their starting point. But if it was only using her blood to connect her… perhaps that was possible.

“Well, that still leaves who or what the Compass connected me to,” Diana noted, her fingers anxiously tangling in the ends of her hair.

Gaius opened his mouth, then hesitated. Diana caught his expression and grimaced. “You have an idea, don’t you?”

He winced, eyes flicking to hers, then to a random spot on the wall behind her, his gaze hardening. “I think there’s a reason it’s called the Mercurian Compass.”

Diana blinked at him blankly, then put her head in her hands and groaned. “Have I mentioned that I am sick of this? Because  _ I am sick of it _ .”

She heard Gaius let out a long-suffering sigh and a moment later, the bed depressed beside her. He squeezed her shoulder, pulling her to rest against his side. “I know,  _ diviana _ .”

Diana buried her face into his shoulder, muffling her words as she spoke. “Why would a god get involved?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, his breath stirring her hair. “Phampira gifted Rheya, so it’s not unprecedented.”

“Are Roman gods even… alive?” Diana’s brow furrowed. She still wasn’t even entirely sure she believed in gods. Now she had to consider that one of them was real and helping her?

“Roman, Greek, Egyptian… They’re all the same.” Gaius shifted up the bed, pulling her with him until they rested against the pillows. “It doesn’t matter what name they go by. Sometimes their attributes are swapped or condensed into fewer gods, but they’re all the same.”

“I really hate this,” Diana repeated, slinging her arm across his stomach and holding tight, as if she were drowning and he was her only lifeline left.

He kissed her temple. “I know.”

After several minutes had passed, Diana extracted herself from his embrace, combing her hair back as her gaze resettled on the blade resting on the table. “I should probably try to—”

Before Diana could even finish her thought, her phone rang. She sighed, pulling her phone out of her pocket. Her brows rose and she answered. “Kamilah?”

Gaius sat up behind her.

“Diana,” Kamilah said by way of greeting. Then her voice softened a fraction.“You sound tired.”

“Just...frustrated,” Diana shrugged, scooting back against the headboard and leaning against Gaius’s shoulder. 

“Still unraveling more mysteries?”

Diana huffed a laugh. “Something like that. Every question answered only leads to more questions.”

“Mm,” Kamilah merely replied and Diana could hear the hint of an amused smile in her voice. “Well, I’m calling you because I think I’ve figured out a way to contain Demetrius’s influence.”

Diana straightened and Gaius’s brow furrowed at her reaction. “You did? How?”

“Demetrius’s influence is synonymous with that of the Tree of Eternal Death, yes?” Kamilah asked, her voice calm and analytical.

“Yeah…”

“Well, the world needs balance, Diana,” Kamilah went on and Diana could distantly hear the click of Kamilah’s heels. She must have been going somewhere. “Good and bad, light and dark, life and death. You know how it goes.” There was a faint  _ ding! _ She was getting into an elevator, then. “Well, twenty-three years ago, we upended that balance. Back on Mydiea, when we—”

Diana gasped, the realization dawning on her. She thought of an ancient cavern beneath the Order of Dawn compound, which was now barely more than a pile of rubble in the middle of the Mediterranean.“When we destroyed the Tree of Eternal Life.”

“Precisely,” Kamilah agreed and Diana could hear a note of pride in her voice. “For centuries, the Tree of Eternal Life and the Tree of Eternal Death kept each other in check, two sides of the same coin. One can’t exist without the other, not without consequence. And for twenty-three years, the Tree of Eternal Death’s power has grown without its equal to counter it. Now we are paying the price.”

“Can we stop it?” Diana asked, subconsciously clutching her silver lily pendant so hard, its edges cut into her palm.

“Theoretically, yes,” Kamilah declared and Diana almost sighed in relief before Kamilah continued, her voice growing gravely serious. “But it won’t be easy. The only thing that can stem his influence is the Tree of Eternal Life. And we don’t have that. But, we do have the next best thing.”

Something about the way she said that made Diana’s stomach twist into a knot. “Which is?”

“Someone who holds the tree’s power,” Kamilah said softly, almost apologetically. “You, Diana. We need your blood.”

Everything in her body went cold at that. Diana suddenly felt as if there were a yawning pit beneath her, waiting to swallow her whole. She echoed Kamilah numbly, “My blood.”

Gaius stiffened beside her. She felt his gaze burning into her skin but she couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. Her  _ blood. _

“Yes. I…” She heard Kamilah swallow, struggling to find the words. If Kamilah was hesitating, things were bad.“I wouldn’t ask this of you if I thought there was any other way.” 

“How much of it?”

“I don’t know. There’s no way to tell until we do it.” Kamilah’s voice was quiet. “Diana, if you don’t want to do this, it’s okay. We’ll… We’ll figure something else out.”

“It’s okay,” Diana whispered, heart pounding in her ears. “It’s okay,” she repeated. “You said it yourself. You wouldn’t have called unless there were no other options. So, we have to at least try this. I’ll be fine. I’ll do it.”

“...You’re sure of this?” Kamilah questioned.

“Yes.” Diana swallowed the lump in her throat, her fists clenching against her thighs, palms sweating. 

“I’ll have Adrian arrange for your flight back. Then we can work out the details,” Kamilah promised and Diana heard her heels clicking once again. “I’m about to meet with him and update him on the situation.”

“Give him my best.” It was a battle to sound upbeat and Diana knew her attempt fell flat.

“I will. Just get home safe,” Kamilah said. “Both of you.”

_ Ah. Both. _ So Jax had filled her in.

Diana promised they would, then hung up, her phone dangling between her fingers as she stared blankly at the wall, reeling. She couldn’t explain the pit that had yawned open in her stomach or the inexplicable feeling she had that whatever was coming next, it would demand everything of her.

“Diana…” Gaius murmured and she felt his fingertips on her jaw, gently guiding her face towards his. His eyes were intent on hers, full of questions and concern. Diana wanted to fall into his touch, to drown in him until she forgot about everything that existed beyond this room. She wanted so badly to give in and hide away forever with him, but she couldn’t. Diana had known this would come. Their time was up.

Diana pulled away, rolling out of bed and starting towards the closet that contained what few belongings she had. “Get packed,” she said over her shoulder, yanking out her duffle bag. “We’re going to New York.”


	17. Chapter 16: Kamilah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang is back together. Sort of.

**_New York, New York, 2042_ **

Gaius hated waiting.

He sat in a pristine meeting room at the top of Raines HQ with his arms folded, staring hard at the table in front of him which was so spotless, he could make out his own reflection in its glossy surface. He could feel Matsuo’s glare burning into his skin and fought down the urge to snap at him as they sat in tense silence. 

Diana had left him in the room about fifteen minutes ago to “sit tight and wait” while she sought out Adrian so they could store the artifacts somewhere secure. At first, Gaius had been slightly relieved to have some time to himself to prepare, both for seeing his former companions and to consider the trials that lay ahead. 

On the train from Zermatt to the airport in Sion, Diana had filled him in on the recent developments with the Demetrius problem. Gaius immediately hated the plan, but he couldn’t argue with Kamilah’s logic. Yes, the Tree of Eternal Death could only be contained by its counterpart, and Diana was their best bet. But hadn’t she given enough already? Gaius knew how tired she was. Partially because he could feel her weariness through the bond, but also because he simply knew her better than he even knew himself. 

_ It’s just a little blood, _ Diana had said with a shrug.  _ If it takes more than I can give, we’ll stop.  _ She tried to appear nonchalant, but he had seen how shaken she was after her phone call with Kamilah. He had felt her fear, her dread, as intensely as if it had been his own before she reined it in and closed herself off. 

Gaius had been in the middle of mulling all of this over when the door behind him swung open and he turned, expecting to see Diana return with Adrian. Instead, it had been Matsuo who strode in, eyes immediately narrowing when they caught Gaius in their sight.

Jax scowled, every line in his body going taut as he surveyed Gaius. Gaius clenched his jaw, eyeing the sword hilt that peeked over Jax’s shoulder. Did he really need to carry that thing around with him all of the time? Even for a meeting? Gaius suppressed the urge to scoff. As if that would do a damn thing against  _ him _ .

They had stared at each other for one moment more before Jax huffed, his grimace deepening as he strode further into the room and selected a seat that was as far away from Gaius as possible. Jax’s hands were clenched into fists where they sat on the table as he continued to glare. “You two have a lot of explaining to do.”

Gaius had kept his face carefully neutral, merely giving Jax a cool look before turning away, knowing full well that no reaction would bother the other man more than anything else. Judging by the heavy exhale Gaius heard from the other end of the table, he knew it had worked.

So that’s where they were now, sitting in heavy silence, eyes occasionally straying to each other and the clock on the wall. Fed up with it, Gaius was about to use the bond to ask Diana what was taking so long when the door opened again, admitting another figure.

“Jax,” Kamilah said by way of greeting as she entered the room. Her dark brown eyes met his, her facial expression perfectly calm. “Gaius.”

He dipped his chin to her as she sat down, on the other side of the table, a few chairs down. “Kamilah.”

“I inspected the blade from Zermatt,” she informed them both, her manner all business. “It looks like it was made in the early 1800s.”

“Diana said it used to belong to a member of the Order of Dawn,” Gaius supplied, recalling the memory of when she had finally touched the bone-handled knife on the return plane from Switzerland and learned of its true nature. After her vision ended, she had shuddered and pushed it away, clearly disturbed.  _ Bad things have happened with this thing _ , she had murmured, face pale.  _ So much blood spilled. _

“Yes, she told me about it.” Kamilah nodded, fingers tapping on the table’s sterile surface. “Fascinating. A blade whose wounds can never heal. At least, not without an extraordinary amount of focus and energy. A devastating weapon, even against vampires.”

“Could have used something like that against Rheya,” Jax grumbled from the end of the table. His dark eyes settled on Gaius. “Or him.”

“Please,” Gaius scoffed, fighting down the urge to roll his eyes as he shook his head. “It wouldn’t have done much. Yes, a wound from that blade won’t automatically seal itself, but Rheya would have easily been able to heal it. As would I have.” He sent Jax a pointed look as if daring him to try it. “The only way it would have done any harm to either myself or Rheya would have been if we  _ chose _ to leave the wound open.”

Jax sunk deeper into his chair. “Someone thinks highly of himself.”

“He’s right, Jax,” Kamilah interjected, sounding slightly exasperated, as if even she didn’t want to agree with Gaius. “The amount of energy it would take is far less significant for him than for someone whose blood is more diluted. In fact,” she added, her eyes steely with thought. “That blade might come in handy on the island. Diana is more powerful than any of us. Her body will heal herself almost instantaneously, especially if her power thinks she’s in danger.”

“She’s a powerhouse,” Jax agreed, a hint of pride in his voice. “It’s not even fun sparring with her anymore.”

“You’re just upset that you haven’t won a fight against any of us in years,” Kamilah retorted, smiling slightly. After a moment, she shook her head, gaze growing distant as she pursed her lips. Gaius knew that face, had seen it thousands of times as they planned battles, coups, and various other political maneuverings together. She was strategizing. And it made him uneasy. “I imagine if the amount of blood needed corresponds to how powerful the Tree is, we will need more than what could be provided by a single wound. The blade could help Diana supply blood more easily.”

“What, so you can drain her dry?” Gaius snapped before he could stop himself, his fists clenched beneath the table. They were talking about Diana as if she weren’t even a person, just a well of power and a walking blood bag.

Jax stiffened in the corner and Kamilah’s brows raised for a moment before her face hardened, gaze sharpening. “If you are suggesting that I do not care about Diana and only see her as a means to an end, you are sorely mistaken, Gaius Augustine,” she said, her voice dangerously soft. “I do  _ not  _ take her safety lightly. If there is any serious threat to her wellbeing during this process, I will  _ personally _ put a stop to it myself, even if it means searching twenty more years for a better solution.”

Gaius stared at her for a long moment before he finally nodded. “Good. We are on the same page, then.”

Kamilah’s eyes narrowed but this time, not in anger. She tilted her head, studying him, those dark eyes piercing. If she saw something in him, she didn’t show it as she sat back and nodded. “Her safety comes first.”

Gaius’s gaze shifted to Jax, whose glare only intensified when he saw the question in Gaius’s eyes. He sat up straighter, clearly offended.  _ “Obviously.” _

Then they were all in agreement. Gaius didn’t even have to see Adrian to know that if he were here, he wouldn’t have argued either. Now the only person he had to make sure understood that Diana’s safety came first was, well, Diana.

No sooner had he thought that did the door open once again, finally admitting Diana and Adrian, the latter of which merely nodded to Gaius before taking a seat at the head of the table. Before Diana had even taken a few steps into the room, she was intercepted by Jax, who enveloped her in a bone crushing hug.

“It’s good to see you, kid,” he mumbled into her hair. “You were giving me gray hairs while you were gone.”

Diana let out a startled laugh as she rocked back on her heels, her arms easily settling around Jax’s waist. “It’s good to see you too, Jax.”

She patted his back and he released her, grinning as he returned to his seat, his relief evident in his posture. Diana took a seat between Kamilah and Adrian, but he felt her presence brush up against his mind, a silent message that said,  _ I’m still here _ .

Right. Because they had appearances to keep up. On the plane, they had decided it was best not to tell the others about… whatever it was they were. Diana had been the one to propose it, claiming that the knowledge would only complicate things, and Gaius was inclined to agree. Better to focus on the task at hand and leave the rest for later, even if it felt a little bit like torture, not being able to reach out and feel the warmth of her skin against his.

“So,” Jax began once everyone was settled. “What’s the plan? We go to the island, find the Tree, Diana gives it a little watering, and Demetrius’s influence is contained?”

“That’s the main gist of it, yes,” Adrian replied, his hands tucked into his pockets as he sat back in his chair, expression clearly troubled. “Although I imagine there will be plenty of unforeseen complications along the way. Spiderferals and the like.”

“And we still have yet to figure out how to get to the island in the first place,” Kamilah added, leaning her elbows on the table and clasping her hands together. “We can’t risk the life of a pilot and for some reason, none of us have ever bothered to learn how to fly.”

“There would be no place to land a plane anyway,” Adrian frowned, brows knitting together. “Last time, we crashed.”

“Yeah, let’s avoid that if we can,” Jax huffed, scratching the back of his neck. “Alright, so flying is out. Then we take a boat. Just like we did when we left.”

“No,” Diana spoke up, shaking her head. “We’ll never make it like that. Demetrius’s influence is much stronger than it was last time, and his range of influence is much broader. We would become Ferals long before we could even step foot on the island.”

The others frowned at this, clearly disturbed. Gaius knew that they were all thinking of the last time they had sought out the Tree, how debilitating it’s power had been. Gaius’s gaze fell on Diana, whose brows were furrowed as she gnawed on her lip, something he noticed she did whenever she was piecing things together. He tilted his head and spoke down the bond.  _ You have a solution, don’t you? _

Her eyes flicked to his, lips pursed. Her fingers skimmed along the length of her silver necklace and she nodded.  _ Yes. _

“What was that?” Jax demanded, glancing suspiciously between them.

“What,” Gaius said flatly, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. He kept his attention on Jax, but he could feel Kamilah’s eyes on him as well, her gaze piercing through him as if he was some sort of riddle she could puzzle out.

“Whatever that look was.” Jax grimaced. “You’re scheming.”

Gaius rolled his eyes, about to snarl some snarky reply when Diana interjected.

“There’s no scheming, Jax. We’re just on the same page.” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I think I have a way to get there. You all know about the Mercurian Compass, yes?”

_ Absolutely not _ , he snarled down the bond and Diana’s jaw clenched.

_ It’s the only way,  _ she snapped back.

Gaius huffed. He hated that she was right.

“Jax filled us in,” Adrian nodded, leaning forward. “It can transport you using a blood connection and your energy.”

“Something like that.” Diana winced as if she had a headache, and he knew she was thinking of their last conversation about the amulet. “The Compass can’t transport us on its own, but we think it forms a bridge to something that does.” Diana hesitated, her eyes meeting his for a brief moment before she continued, “It bonds the user to a god. Mercury, specifically.”

Gaius glanced around the table, observing everyone’s reactions. Adrian looked extremely unnerved and Jax looked at Diana as if she had fallen off the wagon. Kamilah, on the other hand, merely rubbed her temples and sighed, “Go on. You think you can use it to transport all of us to Demetrius?”

“It would be the most efficient way of traveling,” Diana rationalized, shoving her hands through her hair. “We land right in front of the Tree, I give it my blood, and we leave as soon as possible.” She frowned, looking around the table. “But I can’t take all of you. One, for sure. Perhaps two.”

“I’ll go,” Kamilah decided and as she met Gaius’s gaze, he knew that she was thinking of their earlier conversation. _ If there is any serious threat to her wellbeing during this process, I will  _ personally _ put a stop to it myself, even if it means searching twenty more years for a better solution. _ Good. “I am the one who asked this of Diana, so I will help her see it through.”

Gaius nodded, satisfied with that. Of all the people in the room, aside from Diana, he trusted Kamilah the most. “Alright. So when do we leave?”

Everyone’s attention whipped to him, but it was Jax―because  _ of course _ it had to be Jax―that spoke up. “Hold on, who says  _ you _ get to go?”

Gaius opened his mouth to retort but once again, Diana beat him to it. “I do.”

“Diana…” Adrian began at the same time Jax sneered,  _ “Why?” _

Diana shot Gaius a look that told him exactly what she was about to do. He stiffened. 

“Because I need him to,” she said simply. “While we’re there, I’m going to talk to Demetrius. I have some questions about the artifacts that need answers and it will be the best way to know if my blood is working on the Tree. Gaius will know if anything goes wrong. And I’m also going to need his help to power the Compass for our return trip.”

“Why can’t one of us help you?” Adrian asked, his brow creasing as he glanced between them. “And what do you mean, ‘Gaius will know?’”

“Because we’re bonded,” she answered, meeting Gaius’s gaze and he knew that although she was replying to Adrian, that bit was for him. He bit back a smile.

To Diana’s right, Kamilah inhaled sharply, the action so slight that if Gaius had not been accustomed to the little things she did for over two millennia, he would not have noticed. 

“Our minds are bridged, but not by my doing,” Diana explained, sitting up straighter in her chair. “We can communicate through it. Back in Rome, in a tight situation, I was able to transfer some of my power to him because we’re… compatible. Equal.” Again, she glanced briefly at him. “So on the island, while I’m talking to Demetrius, I can still easily communicate with Gaius. And he can lend me some strength to form the bridge with the Compass. Or I can lend him mine.”

Kamilah’s attention shifted to him, eyes wide. “Gaius, I thought―”

He sent her a look that said,  _ Not now. _

He and Diana might be able to hear each other’s thoughts through their bond, but over the span of two thousand years, he knew how to communicate with Kamilah through body language alone. Kamilah stiffened, her eyes flaring, although she clenched her jaw and nodded slightly. 

Thankfully, no one else had appeared to notice their interaction, the other men too busy asking Diana questions.

“I don’t believe this,” Jax was saying, gesturing to Adrian. “Tell me you’re not buying this.”

“Diana has no reason to lie.” Adrian frowned, drumming his fingers on the table as he mulled this new development over. “But I admit that I have never heard of such a thing before.”

Kamilah sighed, looking wearier by the second as she worked her jaw and sat back. “It’s real,” she supplied, gripping the armrests of her chair. “I have heard about several instances where two vampires were bonded. But,” her dark eyes flickered to Gaius’s and he caught the threat they held. “It’s a long story. One we can go into later.”

_ Yes, _ he thought to himself.  _ Later. _ Later, he would have to explain.

“So that’s settled. Kamilah and Gaius are coming with me,” Diana stated, glancing between her traveling companions. “When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow evening,” Adrian decided, pushing out his chair and getting to his feet. “That gives you three tonight and most of tomorrow to rest before setting off, but we also won’t be wasting any unnecessary time.” He made for the door, adjusting his tie as he went. “Gaius, I will arrange to have the guest room here prepared for you to sleep in.”

Gaius almost smirked at the wave of displeasure that rolled through the bond from Diana but he suppressed it, nodding at Adrian. “Thank you.”

Adrian only dipped his chin in response and looked at Diana. “Get some rest,” he bid her, and then he was gone, off to attend to other matters.

Jax filed out next, unsubtly flicking the back of Gaius’s head as he went. Kamilah followed after, bidding them both goodnight and shooting Gaius a look that told him they were going to have a  _ long _ talk.

Once they were gone, Diana stood, stretching her arms over her head as she yawned. “Come on,” she sighed, waving her hand at him. “I’ll show you to your room.”

Gaius frowned, but let her lead him downstairs and through the winding, sterile halls of Raines Corp. When they arrived at his room, she pulled a keycard out of her back pocket and unlocked the door before handing it to him. “This is one of my master keys to the building, but I trust that you have no interest in snooping around?”

Gaius stared at the key for a moment before he nodded and took it, shoving it into his pocket. Of course, she would have a master key to the building. After all, she’d been with Adrian for over twenty years and had probably gotten involved in Raines management. He supposed this company was as much hers now as it was Adrian’s. He stood in the threshold to his room and faced her in the hallway. “Where are you going?”

Diana ran a hand through her hair, taking a deep breath. “I need to check in on some things back at my apartment. And,” she added, her fingers twisting into the ends of her hair. “It would probably be best if people saw me leave.”

_ Ah. _ Keeping up appearances. He nodded, putting his hand on the door. “Alright.”

“Yeah…” Diana said glumly, chewing her lip, a thousand words lingering between them. Gaius was about to bid her goodnight when Diana looked up and down the hallway, then suddenly hurled herself forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. Instantly, he curled his arms around her, holding her tightly as she kissed him deeply, desperately. Gaius threw out a hand to steady himself against the wall, the force of her affection leaving him weak in the knees.

It was over too soon. Diana drew back, lips parted and cheeks flushed. Gaius wanted so badly to capture this moment―the way she looked at him with such tenderness, such wonder―and have it burned into his very soul, a little piece of her to remember forever.

“I’ll come back,” she promised, her breath ghosting over his cheek as her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck. Gaius nodded, kissing her again and again before she could say goodbye, doing whatever he could to delay her leaving. She smirked against his lips, taking his chin in her hand. “ _ Gaius. _ The sooner I leave, the sooner I can come back.”

“Fine,” he huffed, allowing her to detangle herself from him, but not before stealing one more kiss. “Now you can go.”

Diana rolled her eyes, lightly shoving his chest as she backed out into the hallway. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

“I’ll be waiting,” he remarked, watching as she turned back towards the elevator.

_ You’re ridiculous,  _ she noted after she had disappeared behind the corner and Gaius shut the door.

He turned, taking in the sleek decor of the guest room, which was more like a small apartment. A modern-looking kitchen sat to his left, a sitting area on the right, and a massive bed in the back left corner. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the Manhattan skyline. He wandered over to them, gazing out at the city lights, his own faint reflection staring back at him.

_ You love it, _ he replied, his eyes settling on the street below.

There was a pause, then― _ Yeah. Maybe I do. _

* * *

About half an hour had passed when Gaius heard a knock on the door. He looked up, catching the knife he had idly been flipping by the hilt. Was Diana already back? He slid the blade back into the knife block on the kitchen counter and moved towards the door. He peered through the peephole and bit back a grimace.

“Kamilah,” he greeted her, opening the door. 

Kamilah looked up at him, her gaze flat. She didn’t bother to reply as she stepped around him and made her way into the kitchen, tossing her coat over the back of a chair and setting down a bottle of whiskey on the counter. Gaius followed after her as she wordlessly grabbed a glass from a cupboard, unscrewed the bottle, and poured herself a shot. 

Kamilah downed her glass and refilled it before she fixed him with a harsh look. “Talk,” she snapped. “Is it true?”

Gaius stared at her for a long moment, then he turned, retrieved a glass for himself, and sat on a stool across from her. “Yes. Diana and I are bound.”

Kamilah studied him for an equally long amount of time before she took his glass and filled it with the amber liquid. “Does she know…? That you two―”

“No.”

Her eyes narrowed, lips twisting into a frown as she growled, “And why not?”

“Why not?” Gaius echoed, an edge to his voice. He scowled, firing back, “Am I the sort of person you want for her?”

Kamilah’s face hardened and she sucked in a breath, about to deal him something wicked when she paused, her brows drawing together. Gaius caught the pained look on her face as she slid the glass of whiskey over to him and turned away, pacing towards the wall of windows. He could only see her faint reflection in the polished window pane as she asked softly, “Where have you been all of these years, Gaius?”

Gaius wrapped both of his hands around his glass and stared down at the dark liquid. “Trying to atone.”

“And do you think that you have?” Kamilah asked coldly.

Gaius sneered at his reflection in the whiskey before knocking the drink back. It burned going down but he barely felt it, pouring himself another finger. “No.”

Kamilah did not reply, silently nursing her drink as she gazed out the window, her expression unreadable, shoulders tense. When the silence between them stretched on and became nearly unbearable, she finally said, “The man I used to know would have said yes. The only justice he would have exacted was his own.” Kamilah turned. “You’ve changed.”

He gritted his teeth. “Not enough.”

Kamilah’s face softened ever so slightly. “No. Perhaps not.”

Gaius watched as she strode to the couch and sat down, kicking off her heels before tucking her legs beneath her. She looked so small and… vulnerable, tucked into the corner of the sofa, expression solemn. It was a while before she spoke again. “You know, I spent years digging myself out of the hole you left me in,” she confessed, sipping from her glass before setting it on her knee. “I was the Blood Queen. I had your reputation, but unlike you, _ I _ still had to live it down. Alone. There were times when I was certain I could never wash my hands of you and what we had done.”

Gaius’s hands flexed around his drink, knuckles growing white. He hated this. Hated how awful he felt. These past two decades, he had always known Kamilah had suffered in his absence, that she despised him for what he had done. But hearing it straight from her mouth was far worse than just knowing. 

_ It’s the least you deserve,  _ he reproached himself.  _ You will listen, and you will remember this. _

“It took me years to forgive myself,” Kamilah continued, her voice strained with emotion. “Years to stop seeing myself as the monster you created, the monster  _ I let you _ create. Because you did not act alone. No, I wanted it, too. Everything you had promised. Your vision of a better world for our kind―all of it.” Her voice grew hoarse and Gaius’s chest ached. “And that made it so much harder for me to accept myself.”

She drew in a deep breath and Gaius felt like he couldn’t breath as he caught the gleam of tears in her eyes, but he knew better than to go to her. His comfort was the last thing she wanted. Kamilah’s free hand clenched into a fist and she took a moment to collect herself before speaking again. 

“But  _ you did not act alone _ ,” she repeated, although this time, the meaning had changed. “You still made the decisions you did, but I know now that you had very little capacity to do otherwise. You were someone else’s monster, too,” Kamilah whispered, her voice echoing hauntingly in the empty room. “And the more I think of it, the more I believe that Diana made the right choice in sparing your life.”

Gaius felt his breath catch in his throat. “Kamilah…”

“I do not hate you, Gaius,” she admitted, her voice soft but not weak. Because that was who Kamilah was. Even when she was most vulnerable, she was strong. “I did once, but not anymore.”

“I don’t deserve that,” he said hoarsely. “You know I don’t.”

“I didn’t either at first.” Kamilah shook her head, swirling the liquor in her glass around. “In all of these years, I have learned that life isn’t about getting what we deserve.” She laughed mirthlessly. “If it was, we all should have been crucified a long time ago.”

Kamilah drained the rest of her glass and unfolded her legs, grimacing as it burned down her throat. She slipped her feet back into her heels and stood, returning to the kitchen. She set her glass down on the counter and looked down at Gaius, expression unreadable, even for him. 

“So maybe we don’t get the things we deserve and we don’t always deserve the things we get,” she mused with a half shrug. “But the important thing is that we make sure we do not take what we are given for granted and that we spend whatever time we have doing good by those who choose to stand by us, regardless of whether or not we are worthy. “

Gaius didn’t know what to say to that.

“Are you the sort of person I want for Diana?” Kamilah wondered aloud, leaning against the counter with her arms crossed. “There are very few people I would consider to be deserving of her. The man you were once was not one of them.” She fixed him with an assessing gaze before she grabbed the bottle and screwed on the cap, cutting them both off. “But perhaps you could be. I have no doubt that you most certainly would die trying. If even fate says you are bound to be together…” Kamilah shrugged. “Who am I to decide what is good for her? That is between the two of you.”

Gaius swallowed hard, shaking his head. “I don’t want her to feel pressured to…” He trailed off, unsure of how to finish. 

“Accept it?” Kamilah finished, tilting her head. She let out a long breath. “Perhaps she already has. But you will never know until  _ she _ knows the full truth and can decide for herself, Gaius. Hiding it will only make it worse.”

Gaius stared at the empty glass in his hands and Kamilah sighed. She grabbed her coat and pulled it on before grabbing her bottle of whiskey. Gaius felt her hand on his shoulder, her touch gentle as she said, “Tell her.”

He took a deep breath, then nodded. “After we deal with Demetrius.”

Kamilah dipped her chin in agreement. “After.”

She withdrew her touch and made for the door, her heels clicking on the glossy floor. When Kamilah reached the exit, she paused, her hand resting on the handle. “You know, I am actually glad that you are bound to someone.”

Gaius looked up, his brow knitting together. “Why?”

Kamilah’s gaze was steady on his, her brown eyes sparkling with some hidden light. Gaius could not even recall the last time he had seen her look so hopeful. “Because,” she said softly, waving her hand between them. “I always thought it was you and me. That you were the greatest love I could ever have. But you couldn’t have been, not if all along, you were destined for someone else.” She smiled slightly. “So perhaps there is still someone out there for me. A greater love.”

Gaius felt his expression soften. “There is, Kamilah,” he told her gently, fully believing in every word he gave her. “The greatest love you will ever know is still waiting for you.”

She nodded and he returned the gesture before she opened the door, buttoning up her coat. “Goodnight, Gaius.”

“Goodnight, Kamilah,” he replied. Not “My Queen.”  _ Kamilah. _

And then she was gone. 

Gaius turned away from the door, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He felt… lighter, for his story with Kamilah had come to a resolution, but also heavier at the same time. No, not heavier. Grounded. Tethered.  _ Bound. _

He got to his feet, taking his and Kamilah’s empty glasses to the sink, deciding to wash them while he waited. Gaius had just toweled them off and placed them back in the cupboard when he heard the lock click and the front door opened, admitting Diana at last. Before she could even say hello, Gaius was there, sweeping her into his arms and carrying her off to bed where he held her tight, both of them warm and safe as the dawn came. 


	18. Chapter 17: The Island

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group enacts their desperate plan.

**_New York, New York, 2042_ **

They stood in Adrian’s office, faces tense as they ran over the plan again. 

“―there and back as quick as you can,” Adrian was saying, his eyes meeting Kamilah’s Diana’s, and then Gaius’s. “Diana, you give the Tree your blood and talk to Demetrius, but try not to linger for more than ten minutes. You might be able to withstand his influence, but the others won’t. And if something goes wrong when you’re talking to Demetrius―”

“I know,” Diana said, trying not to roll her eyes. They had been over this twice already. “I’ll tell Gaius.”

“And you two,” Adrian added, his attention shifting to Kamilah and Gaius. “If it doesn’t look like its working or she’s losing too much blood―”

“We get her out,” Kamilah finished, her lips a grim line. “Yes, Adrian, we know.”

“I know,” he sighed, stepping back with his hands up. “I just… want you all to be safe.”

_ All of us? _ Diana heard Gaius remark in her mind and she elbowed him in the side.

_ Yes, all of us, _ she quipped, shooting him a look.

“God, that is so weird,” Jax remarked from the corner of the room where he leaned against a bookcase. “Look at them. They’re doing it now.”

Diana raised an eyebrow at Jax before she projected her thoughts to him as well, just for fun.  _ And I can do it to you, too. _

“Gah!” He startled, whacking his elbow on the shelf behind him. Jax shot her a glare. “ _ Don’t  _ do that.”

Diana shrugged and she felt Gaius’s amusement trickle through the bond. Even Kamilah’s lip quirked.

Diana pulled the Mercurian Compass out from beneath her shirt as she scanned her companions. Kamilah had foregone one of her pantsuits in favor of black leggings and a slim black top, both made of reinforced material that would not tear easily under blade, tooth, or claw. She had several daggers strapped along her arms and legs, prepared to be the first line of defense against any Spiderferals that might come after them. Gaius was still dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and pants, although at least these were new, along with a spare leather jacket Diana had convinced Jax to bring him. His  _ gladius _ was sheathed at his hip, the long bone-handled knife tucked inside his jacket for Diana.

Diana nodded to herself, feeling the comforting weight of her katana strapped to her back as she pulled out a small knife and held up the Compass. “No reason to wait around, I suppose,” she shrugged. “Are you guys ready?”

Kamilah and Gaius nodded and stepped closer, Kamilah resting her hand on Diana’s opposite shoulder as Gaius’s arm slipped around her waist.

“Ready,” Kamilah declared, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly.

_I’m with you,_ diviana, Gaius murmured through the bond and she let his familiar presence steady her as she reined in her nerves.

Diana took a deep breath, then slid her knife against her palm, its edge stinging as blood welled up in its wake. She grabbed the Compass with her bleeding hand and it flared to life, her hair stirring in a phantom breeze as it lit up with an unearthly glow.

_ Where?  _ the voices whispered, and Diana closed her eyes, wondering if she was really communing with a god.

_ Take me to the Tree of Eternal Death,  _ she replied, her hand tightening around the Compass as she felt her body being pulled in a thousand different directions.

“Hold on,” she whispered to Kamilah and Gaius, and they did. In a flash of light, they were gone.

* * *

**_The Island, 2042_ **

It was agony.

Diana forced herself up to her knees, grunting as her body tried to acclimate to the waves of death and decay that pulsed over them. She was still disoriented from the jump, the expenditure of power it took to form a bridge not only for herself but for two other people left her reeling with vertigo. She gritted her teeth, digging her nails into the ground as she forced her feet to steady beneath her. She could not falter now; there was so much left for her to do.

“Diana!” Gaius’s voice was somewhere above her, laced through with concern and panic. She felt his hands on her, hefting her upright. She leaned into him, his steady presence washing over her, providing some clarity.

She swallowed, taking a moment to orient herself before straightening on her own, observing their surroundings. As if the awful power that surrounded them wasn’t confirmation enough, Diana saw with her own eyes that the Mercurian Compass had successfully transported them to Demetrius’s island. 

The clearing they found themselves was quiet, blanketed in mist, the ground covered with blackened leaves and other dead things Diana didn’t want to put a name to. All of the foliage around them seemed to be curling away from the small glade, as if anything within its radius would shrivel and die. Well, not everything.

Diana’s eyes fell on the Tree of Eternal Death, its ebony limbs gnarled and twisting in on itself. It looked just as it had years ago, but there was no doubt that everything about it had changed. 

“Demetrius,” she whispered in awe.

“We need to move fast,” Kamilah rasped, and Diana turned just in time to see her wipe her nose on the back of her hand, a trail of blood smearing across her skin. Her face was pale and wan, her skin clammy. Diana looked to Gaius, who didn’t look much better. His jaw was clenched, a thin sheen of sweat gleaming at his hairline. He nodded to her.  _ Quickly.  _

Diana took a deep breath and started towards the tree. Gaius followed, his movements sluggish as Kamilah stayed behind, unsheathing her daggers. “I’ll keep an eye out.”

Diana paused before the trunk, balancing on the Tree’s knotted roots. She turned to Gaius and held her hands out, palms up. The last wound had already healed over. “Gaius.”

Gaius’s eyes searched her face, his brows knitted. Then he pulled the bone-handled knife out from within his jacket and held it over her hands. He hesitated. “Diana…”

She gritted her teeth and flexed her fingers. “Do it,” she urged him, holding his gaze.  _ I trust you. _

His face tightened for a moment, something in his eyes flashing, but then he nodded and drew the blade across her palms, its edge cutting deep. She bit down on her lip at the painful sting as blood welled up, quickly overflowing. The air seemed to crackle with her power, raw and undampened, as wild as a caged animal that was finally set loose. Another wave of dark power rolled off of the Tree, more potent than before, as if it were trying to snuff out Diana’s light. 

Gaius let out a grunt of paint and Diana was distantly aware of Kamilah swearing as she stumbled forward, pressing her bloody hands against the trunk of the Tree of Eternal Death.

Diana gasped as a wave of energy rolled through her body and she heard a horrible, resounding  _ CRACK! _ shatter the silence in the clearing, the sound so loud and jarring, Diana briefly wondered it lightning had struck. And then, without warning, she blacked out.

* * *

When Diana came to again, she was not in her body. Not on the island. She was… nowhere. 

She was in a void. 

The darkness around her was so solid, so smothering, Diana felt as if the weight of the universe was bearing down on her―a cold, dark universe devoid of stars, light, and life. She cast out her senses, but there was nothing.  _ Nothing. _ Because she had no power.

Panic rose in her and Diana desperately sought out her bond with Gaius. Again, nothing. It was gone.

“No,” she gasped, her voice high. Her breaths came faster, chest heaving. “No!”

There was no pain at the loss of their bond, just a horrible, unyielding emptiness that split her to her core. 

“You cannot end it like this,” a voice said, hauntingly familiar.

Diana turned, her hands starting to shake. “Demetrius.”

Demetrius stood before her, looking just as he did two decades ago, as he had looked for millennia. His face was placid, completely devoid of emotion save for his eyes, which were colored with sorrow and pity.

“This is not the way,” he replied, shaking his head. “You have wasted your time coming here.”

Diana’s lips drew into a frown. “What do you mean? What happened here? Is this… your mind palace?”

“No. My mind palace is no longer safe for you.” Demetrius looked around. “We are in the Void. The place where all life began. The gap between worlds. Dimensions.”

“But how?” Diana waved her hands around and she noted that her skin was unmarred, no sign of blood or any wounds. “There’s nothing here.”

“You see nothing,” he nodded. “But I see everything. You can too.”

Diana’s brow furrowed and before she could ask Demetrius what he meant, she heard his voice in her head. _Close your eyes._ _Focus. Feel it._

Diana pursed her lips but did as he instructed her. The darkness behind her eyes was even more complete than the one surrounding her. She felt like she was drowning in nothingness, all of her senses purloined. She was about to give up, her frustration and fear building when suddenly, she felt it.

A tingling sensation, not at the back of her skull, but all around her. It felt like static. Diana sucked in a sharp breath and zeroed in on that feeling. As she did, she noticed that it was moving, but not together. A million different currents eddied around her, brushing up against her skin, speaking of faraway places and unknown worlds.

_ Now look. _

Diana opened her eyes and gasped. Where there was once only smothering darkness, there was now light.

Ribbons of multi-hued light wound through the space around them, each leading to swirling portals that were similar to the ones she used to travel in her mind palace, although these led to places Diana did not recognize, places she could hardly comprehend.

“The Void,” Diana whispered in awe, spinning in a slow circle, the lights illuminating her skin. As Diana turned, she caught sight of another current, made distinguishable not because it was particularly bright or colorful, but because it was an absence of light. A dark ribbon that curled around her legs and led to―

“That’s… our world, isn’t it?” Diana breathed, her heart plummeting. Through the portal, she could see the Tree of Eternal Death. A mysterious smoke was wafting off of it, curling into the dark sky. At the base of the tree, spreading outwards, was a giant chasm in the earth that seemingly had no bottom.  _ That must have been what that loud noise was,  _ Diana realized as she studied the scene before her. “What’s happening?”

“I have grown beyond control,” Demetrius said solemnly, his voice laced through with sorrow and regret. “I am connected to the Void, but I am also connected to the Tree. If left unchecked, the Tree’s influence will continue to bleed into other worlds.”

Diana saw herself standing before the trunk of the Tree of Eternal Death, pale and gray with blood loss, her body stiff, eyes closed, and face perfectly blank as she pressed her palms against the coarse wooden surface. Cracks in the trunk spiderwebbed outwards from her hands, seeping a dark, tar-like substance that steamed when in it came into contact with her blood, staining her fingertips black. Kamilah was slumped against a tree at the edge of the clearing, a smattering of ash coating the ground around her as she wiped away the trails of blood that led down her cheeks from her eyes. Gaius was watching over them both, face tense and gleaming with a cold sweat, the hilt of his  _ gladius _ clenched tightly in his fist in anticipation of the next threat.

“What will happen to you?” Diana questioned softly, watching the scene before her unfold. The air seemed to ripple with heat, the mist around her body steadily dissipating in response to the power that coursed through her veins. 

“Without the Tree of Eternal Life, I cannot be balanced. You must either yield to me or bring me to my end,” Demetrius stated, without any trace of uncertainty in his voice. Diana faced him once again, her lips parting “But the day for that has not yet come. Your efforts today are for naught. You are not enough. Your blood alone is not enough.”

His words fell upon her like a blow, sharp and stinging. 

“No,” Diana replied numbly, shaking her head as she turned back to him. “No,” she repeated, her voice rising. “It has to be! We have no other options!”

“You do,” he countered, tilting his head to the side. “I have given them to you.”

Diana blinked, the realization slowly dawning on her. A shiver rolled down her spine, horror spreading throughout her limbs like ice, numbing and debilitating. “The artifacts? But how? I―I don’t understand what I am meant to do with them.”

“You know how to use the Dainsleif. The enchanted blade,” Demetrius said, his gaze traveling to the portal to their world. “And yet there are still more boundaries for the Mercurian Compass to take you across.”

_ Distance is just another sort of boundary,  _ Gaius had mused once, not even a week ago on that ferry from Oslo to Copenhagen.  _ As is time. _

“You’re talking about… time travel,” Diana breathed, the very notion of it sounding ridiculous once spoken aloud. She prayed that Demetrius would laugh in her face, entertained by her foolishness, even though it was not in his nature to do such a thing. But alas, Demetrius did not deign to answer, and Diana knew that his silence was an answer in itself. She buried her face in her hands, knees suddenly feeling weak, as if holding her own body up was too much to ask of them, much less the severity of the task she was now being given. “Why?”

“Those who can help you have already passed,” he responded softly, as if speaking gently was enough to lessen the blow, to cushion the weight he set upon her shoulders.

“The Vessel,” she rasped, shaking her head in disbelief as the pieces came together. Deep down, Diana had always suspected that she was meant to use the Vessel of Gabal, but she simply could not bring herself to do more than barely consider the possibility. It was absurd, unnatural,  _ wrong. _ “Truly? I’m meant to… bring someone back?” Her fingers skimmed across the silver chain of her necklace. “But… But who?”

“I cannot tell you that.”

Diana scowled, her temper flaring. “And why not? Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure you’re the  _ only _ person who could tell me!”

Demetrius merely shook his head and Diana caught a glint of sadness in his eyes. “It is a truth you must face on your own, Diana. It must be your own will you act upon, or else it will not work.”

“Demetrius―” Diana suddenly doubled over, an excruciating pain flaring through her veins. She gasped, clutching at her chest in a half-mad frenzy. Everything burned, her insides screaming as if she had ingested hellfire. “I―”

“Your blood is not enough,” Demetrius repeated, gaze pitying. “But now you have bound yourself to the Tree. You will have to fight to break your connection.”

Her eyes widened. Through her pain, she managed to croak, “What?”

“Go, Diana,” Demetrius urged her just as the air around them seemed to throb with that awful, draining energy. His voice rose with a new fervor when she still did not move.  _ “Go.” _

“Wait―!”

He reached out, pressed his fingertips to her forehead, and  _ pushed. _

Diana gasped, stumbling backward, falling through the portal that led back to her world, back to her body.

* * *

It had gotten worse. Infinitely worse.

With a jolt, Diana came back to herself, spine arching and head tilting back as she gasped. She was distantly aware of Gaius breathing her name, relief and concern evident in his tone. She felt the coarse texture of blackened wood beneath her palms, the sweet kiss of death brushing over her skin as the Tree rejected her magic. She could sense Kamilah and Gaius’s presence dimly flickering around her like candles in the wind. 

Diana was aware of her blood flowing through her veins, seeping into the rotten bark of the Tree, her power flowing out with it.

_ Your efforts today are for naught. You are not enough. Your blood alone is not enough. _

She refused to believe that. She had to try.

It had been years―decades, even―since Diana had drawn from so deep in the well of her power. Following the day after Rheya’s defeat, Diana had explored her newfound power, reaching new depths each and every day that she tested the limits of her abilities, just in case a time came when she would have to use them, in case the threat of the First had not truly been banished. Eventually, Diana had laid off of her training, at last succumbing to their hard-won peace. But in all of the time that she had looked inward, drawing up from that abyss, Diana had never reached the bottom.

Even when Diana was exhausted, absolutely drained, she knew that if the situation required it, she could go nuclear. 

As she stood there, palms bleeding, her power―her light―funneling into this maelstrom of death and anguish, Diana was certain that she would bottom out and would finally discover the full extent of all that she could do. 

But she didn’t.

Instead, Diana continued to tunnel down, down, down into her power, drawing up everything she could and pushing it into the core of darkness. She was distantly aware of the oppressive air lifting, the agony of her companions dissipating. 

Demetrius was wrong. Her blood was enough.  _ She _ was enough. The lessening effects of the Tree were proof of that. 

The ground beneath Diana shuddered, more cracks sprouting from the chasm she had already formed as Demetrius’s effect lessened even further. 

“Diana,” Gaius warned, his voice low, fingers flexing to reach for her.

Moments later, Diana found the bottom. It was a pit, made of ash and marble, remnants of an ancient world, the bottom that limited her predecessor. This was Rheya’s end, the full extent of her hellish power.

But it was not Diana’s.

“Diana,” Gaius said again, his voice inflected with desperation as he tugged on the bond between them to no avail. She was unreachable. “It’s taking too much from you.”

Diana crushed her fist against the bottom, the force of her will splintering through adamant and dust. She poured more of her energy into the tree and rallied again, this time slamming herself into that boundary, completely obliterating it to reveal the molten core beneath.

This was true power. Potential. The potential to do whatever she willed with it, the potential to create worlds. To create life.

Diana plunged herself into it, devoting herself to her power just as it devoted itself to her.

_ “Diana.” _ Gaius lunged for her, but it was too late.

A blast of light emanated from her, starting at her chest and then shooting through her arms, all the way down to her hands. It should have been a death blow, the end of the Tree’s influence.

Gaius could only watch as the Tree received her energy, absorbing it into its trunk. All of the sound, all of the air in the world seemed to go with it. For a moment, the bark seemed to burn from within with white light, revealing the threads of red and black that coursed throughout the Tree’s limbs. The energy swirled for a moment, the Tree groaning as if it were in danger of toppling over.

And a moment too late, Diana realized that she was not in control.

In an instant, the light was snuffed out.

No, not snuffed out. Transformed. Inverted.

Tendrils of shadow wafted off the Tree, curling into the air, dissolving and reforming in different places. It was like the spiraling ribbon in the Void that led Diana back to her world. It was an absence of light. A darkness so absolute, it seemed to tear the fabric of reality apart.

At the edge of the clearing, Kamilah swore viciously, pushing away from the tree she had been resting upon and drawing two more blades from her armored suit as Spiderferals crawled out of the shadows, filling the branches of the trees around them. Gaius swore, lifting his sword, his attention torn between the hissing mass of fangs and claws and the woman beside him, his heart.

Diana had not been purging the Tree of darkness, she had been _ feeding _ it.

The well of dark energy built, like a swelling wave preparing to crash―then it surged, all of it at once, and shot back into Diana.

A shockwave blasted throughout the entire island, radiating outwards from the Tree of Eternal Death and Diana herself. The Spiderferals were thrown back, all of them sent tumbling through the jungle. Kamilah stumbled, skinning her hands and knees as she was hurled to the ground. And even Gaius collapsed, at the epicenter of it all, a horrible crack splintering inside his skull, as if the world had been cleaved into two.

When Diana opened her eyes, Gaius realized that it wasn’t the earth that had been torn apart. It was their bond. Because Diana was no longer on the other side.

Her face was cold and expressionless, her tan skin pale. There was no sign of her power, of her warmth. Only the promise of death and suffering.

Her hands fell away from the Tree, blood still dripping on its roots. Gaius watched as she held her hands up, inspecting them. The slits in her palms sealed themselves in an instant, and she furled her fingers into a fist. Smoke curled out through the gaps of her fingers and Gaius felt sick at the sight of it.

He had seen the effects of Demetrius’s corruption twice now. Once in some unnamed pasture in the middle of Italy as she towered over the Black Shuck, judge, jury, and executioner in the flesh. The second time, they had been in his mind, left in the remnants of his hijacked memories. She had looked like an avenging angel then, looking down her nose at him, prepared to enact the will of God. 

But this was worse. Looking at Diana now, he couldn’t help but be reminded of that fateful day two decades ago when she had come into that power. Diana had been burning with a fervor, furious and aching over her best friend―but at least there was some piece of her still there. 

Then, he had been badly wounded, his life force nearly drained by Rheya, and was hardly strong enough to stand. But Gaius had wanted to reach for her, desperately. Yes, he was nothing to her but at least he had understood. Understood what it was like to have such immense power at his disposal and a yearning to make the world bleed. He was a living example of what happened when you gave in, and even if he couldn’t turn her away, he could have at least played some part in trying before Adrian brought her back.

This was not like that day. Diana did not burn, did not feel. She was expressionless, as cold as the gaps between the stars. And Adrian was not here to bail them out. 

Diana turned away from the Tree, her hands wreathed in black flame. Gaius followed her line of sight to the edge of the tree line where the jungle beyond was beginning to bristle with more Ferals. And in the midst of it all was Kamilah, who was struggling to get to her feet, nails cracking and breaking as she dug her fingers into the wet earth, her body growing frail under Demetrius’s―and now Diana’s―power.

Time seemed to slow as she lifted her palms towards the hoard of Spiderferals and Kamilah, who was caught unaware in the crosshairs. She drew in a slight breath, fingers beginning to unfurl.

_ “Diana!”  _

The name clanged through her, almost as familiar as the voice who spoke it. She hesitated for a fraction of a second, but it was enough. 

Gaius appeared before her, standing before her opening fist, prepared to take on the brunt of her attack for as long as he could. He did this for Kamilah and he did this for Diana, to save her the pain of regretting what she was about to do.

And watching her own hand unfurl towards Gaius’s chest― _ Gaius, _ her equal, her bonded, her beloved―Diana came back to herself, tearing through the Tree of Eternal Death’s influence, fighting off its corruption. At once, the black flames in her hands burned a startlingly bright white, glowing like heavenly fire, and Diana lurched away, unable to stem the flow of her power, but able to direct it anywhere else―anywhere else but at  _ him _ . She held her palms upwards and the light of a thousand stars poured through her, unleashing a torrent of power that would rattle even the gods. 

When the blinding light and the roar had finally faded, Gaius noticed that the entire island was completely silent, absolutely still in the wake of whatever had just happened. The clearing was completely devoid of Ferals, entirely empty save for himself, Kamilah―who was gazing around, stunned into speechlessness―and Diana, who was sprawled out on the roots of the Tree, unconscious.

Gaius breathed her name, the simple word sounding at once like a plea and a prayer on his lips as he threw himself to his knees beside her, dragging her torso into his lap. He called her name again, brushing his fingers against her cheek. Her skin was cold, but this time, not unnaturally so. Gaius could feel her breath on the back of his hand but more consoling than that, he could sense her on the edge of his mind, their bond once again restored.

She shifted suddenly, her head lolling to the side, her brows briefly furrowing as she rasped, “… Gaius?”

He wanted to sob in relief. His whole body ached, each movement burdened by the influence of the Tree which was no worse or better than it had been than they arrived. But he could hardly bring himself to care, not when he was so focused on the incredible woman in his arms, nearly dizzy with the knowledge that she was alive and as well as she could be, considering the circumstances. Gaius brushed her hair away from her forehead, his touch tender. “I’m here. You’re okay.”

Diana grimaced, drawing in a shaky breath as she opened her eyes. Her gaze settled on his, then roamed on the scene around them before she winced, scrunching her nose in the way she always did when she was getting a headache. “We need to get out of here. Quickly.”

Gaius nodded, raising his head to seek out their other companion. “Kamilah,” he called out to her. “It’s time to go.”

Kamilah dipped her chin in response, scanning the jungle once more before making her way unsteadily towards them, dabbing at her bloody nose. Gaius startled when he felt Diana’s fingers brush over his cheek and turned back to her. When he saw her fingertips withdraw, covered in his blood, he realized that she wasn’t being affectionate. She was concerned.

“I’m sorry,” Diana croaked, the lines of her face tensing. “I wasn’t enough.”

“Don’t say that,” he chided her, taking her fingers in between his. “You’re more than enough. We’ll find another way.”

That only seemed to distress her more, tears welling up in her eyes, and Gaius found himself wondering if that had anything to do with something she had learned from Demetrius. But they would have to get to that later. 

“We have to go, Diana,” he said gently and she nodded, weakly shifting to draw the golden chain of the Mercurian Compass over her head. 

Her hand shook as she held it, her skin grayish from blood loss. Her brows drew together, eyes apologetic although he wanted to tell her they need not be. “Will you help me?”

“Of course,” he replied, reaching for a knife in his pocket.

“Here,” Kamilah offered, kneeling beside them both with one of her unused blades out. “Use this.”

Gaius nodded his thanks and took it from her, slicing quick and deep across his palm. He felt Diana’s hand on his forearm, felt her power surging through him, invigorating to him but weak compared to her usual current. She pressed the Compass into his bloody palm and it flared to life.

_ Where? _ the voices demanded in his head and he drew in a sharp breath, eyes flicking to Diana’s in surprise as he silently replied, thinking of Adrian’s office back in Raines’ Corp. Gaius felt Kamilah’s arms protectively reach around him and Diana both. Then there was a sharp yank, a flash of light, and they disappeared once again, returning home in defeat. 


	19. Chapter 18: Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana struggles to come to terms with what happened on the island her new resolutions.

**_New York, New York 2042_ **

**_Two weeks later_ **

“You can’t blame yourself for what happened on the island,” Jax panted, lunging to the side, his footwork fast and near-silent. He spun, bringing his katana in a wide-sweeping arc of glittering steel.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Diana grunted, catching Jax’s blow with her own sword, the weight of his attack reverberating through her arms. They stood there for a moment longer, blades locked in a stalemate. Diana huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes as her attention traveled from their swords to Jax’s face. He caught her gaze and smirked, bearing down harder on her.

“Just because you don’t want to,” he said, the leather bindings of his hilt creaking beneath his palms, “doesn’t mean you don’t need to.”

“No offense, but you are the last person I ever would have expected to want to share feelings.” Diana lifted a brow. In fact, Jax’s usual aversion to talking was the main reason she came to his studio. She was getting antsy cooped up in her apartment, her body restless and begging to be used, and had hoped when she showed up after his last self-defense class ready to spar, he wouldn’t ask any questions. Clearly, she was wrong.

Before Jax could respond, she raised her arms, her blade screeching against his as she reared back and planted her foot in his chest, sending him stumbling back across his training facility. “I came here to spar. You gonna talk all day, Matsuo, or are you gonna put up a real fight?”

Jax barked with laughter, brows lifted. “You’ve gotten cocky.”

Diana’s fingers furled into fists. She could feel her power, like a maelstrom beneath her skin, more turbulent than ever before―but it was contained. She was in control. “I have a right to be.”

He studied her for a moment longer before charging, rotating his wrist and holding his katana out in a reverse grip as he swung low, aiming for her legs. Diana danced back, holding her blade across her body in defense.

“Fine,” Jax huffed, engaging her in a flurry of strikes and parries. “You don’t have to talk. Just listen.”

Diana gritted her teeth but begrudgingly let him go on.

“From what you’ve told us about your conversation with Demetrius,” Jax ground out haltingly, his speech interrupted by her counterattacks. “It sounds like our plan was doomed to fail from the start―” He grunted as Diana’s dull blade clipped his shoulder. “So the way I see it―” He ducked beneath her arm, sending an elbow into her side that she dodged. “―nothing you could have done would have worked. So how could it be your fault?”

“I never said that I thought it was,” Diana muttered, swatting at him in annoyance, and Jax gave her a look that said they both knew that was a lie. She feinted right, poised for an attack on his side but spun at the last moment, slipping inside Jax’s guard and whipping her arm up, the hilt of her katana slamming into his chin. His head snapped back and he faltered, barely hurling himself out of the way before Diana’s blunted sword cleaved through the space he had stood in seconds before.

Jax swore, spitting on the floor as he rubbed his jaw. He chuckled, giving her a bloody grin and held up his blade. “I’m going to get you back for that.”

Diana tilted her head, rotating her wrists. “You can try.”

They came together again, a storm of sparkling steel and savage blows. When Jax spoke again, he was clearly winded, voice inflected with exasperation. “You didn’t have to say anything. Why else would you be avoiding everyone?” he wheezed, face flushed with exertion. “I may not be Gaius, but I know how you are. You’re stewing on it. That’s why you’ve spent the last two weeks sulking in that tiny little apartment of yours.”

“I’m not sulking,” Diana snapped, and in her frustration, she wasn’t quick enough to dodge as Jax backhanded her across the face, his first successful blow of the night. It didn’t hurt, but it was shocking, to say the least.

“Yeah?” he challenged, clearly delighted to have gotten a hit on her, even if that only changed their tally from around fifty to none to fifty to one, with Diana in the lead. “Then why aren’t you ever around anymore? When was the last time you spoke to even Gaius?”

“Gaius?” Diana’s eyes widened and she barely avoided his low sweeping leg. She retreated, letting Jax out of the corner she had backed him into. “What do  _ you _ care about Gaius?”

Jax scoffed. “I don’t care about him,” he sneered, taking a moment to breathe while she eased up on her attack. He pointed his sword at her. “But I care about you. And I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen more of his stupid face in the last few weeks than you have. He hasn’t skipped out on meetings like you, Di.”

Diana shook her head, once again dipping into a fighting stance. She held her sword out in front of her, beckoning Jax forward. “I don’t see how those two things are even remotely related.”

“You’re a bad liar, Diana. You know that?” Jax chuckled, running at her. He swung for her neck but she ducked low, her training sword slamming into the back of his knees. He stumbled past her, shaking his head. “He won’t admit it and neither will you, but I know there’s something between the two of you. Kamilah won’t tell me anything about what she thinks, but I suspect she knows something, too.”

Diana’s brows drew together and she opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off.

“Don’t bother,” he interjected, studying her stance for an opening. “I don’t understand it. I don’t  _ want _ to understand it. And I don’t want to know the details either,” Jax shook his head, clearly fighting to hide his repulsion. “But I know that right now you’re miserable and you must not be when you’re around him. Not if you were willing to travel with him for nearly two months. So if he’s what it takes to get you to stop hiding, then so be it. I won’t stand in your way.”

Diana scowled. “I’m not hiding.”

“No?” Jax straightened, his arms falling to the side, sword lowering as his eyes shone with a new kind of challenge. “Then come with me. I’m going to see Adrian tonight to talk about adjusting the requirements for Turning proposals and how best to respond to emergency Turnings. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind seeing you.”

Diana stared at him for a long moment, then huffed. Adrian, she could handle. He never pushed her for answers. It was part of the reason she had always been able to keep so many secrets―not that that was necessarily a good thing. “Fine.”

“Yeah?” Jax asked and Diana hated how hopeful and relieved he sounded. She hated to worry him―to worry all of them. 

“Yes. Just let me go home and shower first,” she muttered, turning away to put her training sword on the rack. “But don’t make such a big deal about it,” she added, glancing back to point a stern finger at him. “Because it’s not.”

“Life’s all about the small victories,” Jax said, a note of triumph in his voice. “I would count this as one of them.”

Diana scowled as she grabbed her bag of clothes off the floor and disappeared into the locker room to change, slamming the door behind her.

“So, I’ll come get you at eleven!” he called after her, shaking his head as he started to wipe down the mats.

* * *

Diana pressed her forehead to the cool tiles of the shower as the water poured over her and stared blankly at the floor, watching the water eddy and swirl down their drain. The water was scalding hot, turning her skin red, and she was admittedly getting a little lightheaded from all of the heat and steam trapped inside the bathroom. Her chest heaved as she fought to get air into her lungs, to calm her racing heartbeat.

She couldn’t help it, this panic she felt now. Every time she closed her eyes, she was back on the island, her body and power hijacked by the Tree’s corruption. Sometimes she saw it from her perspective, trapped inside her head and unable to do nothing as she watched her hands produce dark flames, as her body turned and her eyes caught Kamilah in sight, as she stretched her hands out toward them, towards  _ him _ ―

Diana shuddered.

Sometimes she saw it from Gaius’s point of view, too. Diana saw herself, so cold and impassive, with black fire swirling around her fists. She saw her raise her hands, about to obliterate the Spiderferals and Kamilah, unable to distinguish between the monsters and her dear friend―unable to bring herself to care enough to differentiate between them. She saw Gaius lunge in front of her, right in the path of her deadly flame, prepared to sacrifice himself for everyone else’s sake.

The first time Gaius’s memory had surfaced in Diana’s mind had been that very evening.

After returning from the island and debriefing the others, she had agreed it would be best to stay in one of Adrian’s guest rooms until she had fully recovered. Of course, she had slipped into Gaius’s room the moment everyone else had retired. She had barely climbed into his bed and made a weak attempt to carry on a conversation before she had passed out. 

Then, she had seen what he had.

It had terrified her into waking. She panted, glancing over at Gaius’s sleeping form curled around her, then at the sunlight peeking through the curtains, her mind reeling. She had almost killed him, and he had almost let her. Diana wasn’t sure which part scared her most. What she did know, however, was that she did not trust herself to be around him lest the Tree’s influence corrupted her again. The last thing she could ever do was hurt him. She would rather die. 

Coming to this conclusion, Diana had slipped out of his embrace, out of his bed, and into the bustling streets of Manhattan to sleep in her own apartment for the first time in months. She did not look back.

That had been two weeks ago. 

Since then, Diana had not seen or spoken to Gaius, even through the bond. He had tried, numerous times to contact her, but she closed off her end. If she told him why she was staying away, he would only insist on staying by her side and Diana wasn’t entirely sure that she could refuse him anything. 

But she had to keep her distance. Whatever this thing between them was, it had to end. She was a ticking time bomb, bound to blow sooner or later unless they figured out how to stop Demetrius―and so far, they had no leads on what to do. Diana couldn’t risk being around him when she fell. Just being in New York was a major risk, and she was considering moving somewhere more isolated.

It was for Gaius’s own good. It was for everyone’s own good, actually, if she left before it could worse. 

Diana was roused from her thoughts when she heard a sudden knock on the door to her apartment. She straightened, casting out her senses. She felt some tension ease from her shoulders when she realized that it wasn’t Gaius. Only Jax. 

With a sigh, she quickly rinsed the conditioner from her hair and shut off the water before hastily drying herself off just enough to not drip everywhere as she wrapped her towel around herself and went to let Jax in. She passed through the living room of her apartment. It was a small place, far below what she could afford, but with just her living here, she didn’t see the appeal in getting a big place. Plus, when she had been looking for apartments, she hadn’t been thinking about long-term living arrangments. That was back when she first decided to take some time apart from Adrian and she had let herself believe that it was only temporary. 

More noticeable than the size of her apartment was the lack of decor and furnishing. Diana had the basics, of course―a couch, a table, kitchen appliances, and a bed in her room, but aside from that, there was no way of telling who the place belonged to. It hardly even looked lived in.

Diana opened the door for Jax, her wet hair clinging to her back. “It’s not eleven yet.”

He shrugged. “I got bored.”

Diana rolled her eyes but let him in before retreating to her room to dress and quickly towel dry her hair, leaving Jax to his own devices. Standing in front of her closet, she opted for comfort over fashion, pulling on leggings and a ratty old sweatshirt from her college days. In the living room, she could hear Jax’s slow, meandering footsteps.

“Nobody would have mistaken you for an interior designer, that’s for sure,” he called to her through the door and Diana let out a long-suffering sigh. She quickly wrung out her hair and tugged on a pair of socks, foregoing any makeup. Both Adrian and Jax had seen her countless times with a bare face, and more than that, she simply couldn’t bring herself to care. 

Diana stared her reflection in the mirror she had propped against the wall. She looked… exhausted, with shadows under her eyes and an overall dead look about her. Which shouldn’t have been the case since she spent the last few weeks in bed. But then again, with all of the hours she spent in bed, she’d hardly slept for even a tenth of them.

Her eyes strayed to the Mercurian Compass, its weight solid and reassuring against her chest. After their failed attempt to stem Demetrius’s influence on the island, they had decided that it was best to split up the artifacts for safekeeping while they searched for other solutions. That way if one artifact was found, the others were still safe. Kamilah had gotten the knife―or as Demetrius had called it, the Dainsleif―Adrian had the Vessel of Gabal, and Diana had the Compass. 

“I haven’t had time to decorate,” she replied as she tucked the amulet beneath her sweatshirt and emerged from her room, running her hands through her damp hair to untangle the dark strands. “Been busy running around Europe and all. Plus, this was only supposed to be temporary.”

Jax nodded, his hands in his pockets as he glanced around the sparsely furnished room. Then he shrugged, seemingly satisfied with her answer, and turned back to her. “Ready to go?”

Diana took a deep breath, truthfully wishing she could turn around and climb right back into bed, but she nodded, grabbing her house keys off the kitchen counter and starting for the door. “Yeah, let’s go.”

* * *

“I thought you said you were meeting with Adrian to talk about Turnings,” Diana grumbled as they stood in the elevator of Raines HQ, watching the numbers on the digital display increase, making their way up to the restaurant on the rooftop.

“We are,” Jax shrugged. “But Adrian said he was hungry, so we’re also eating. Come on, Di, you know how expensive the food is. There’s no way I’d turn down getting a fancy steak for free.”

Diana sighed, plucking at a loose string in her sweatshirt. “Yeah, well if I had known we were eating here, I would have changed into something nicer.”

Jax looked her up and down, evidently unbothered by the fact that she was wearing worn-out running shoes and looked as if she had just rolled out of bed. “Nobody’s going to care. Besides, don’t you own a quarter of the company? You could just kick people out or fire them.”

“I’d rather not make a scene,” she muttered, folding her arms. 

Before Jax could reply, the elevator doors slid open, spitting them out onto Adrian’s rooftop. Diana let Jax lead the way, following him past the hostess, who dipped her chin to them and offered a bright smile. “Ms. Leigh. Mr. Matsuo.”

Diana offered her a tight-lipped smile in return, grateful that if the other woman had noticed her clothes, she didn’t say anything about it. They wove through tables, passing by outdoor fire pits and patio heaters that pleasantly warmed her skin.

“Evening, Adrian,” Jax said as they reached a table set for four people. Adrian looked up from his menu―even though it was likely he would only order the same thing he ordered every time. His eyes lit up as they moved from Jax to her, but Diana was too focused on the figure across from him to notice. 

_ Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. _

“And  _ you _ ,” Jax said with a slight edge in his voice, pulling out the chair next to Adrian, leaving the only other open seat for her. Right next to―

Gaius turned, his cool gaze landing first on Jax and then inevitably, on her. His eyes widened, face slackening as he stood abruptly, the silver- and glassware rattling on the table as he did. “Diana.”

Diana felt her heart putter in her chest, cheeks warming as she took her seat. Diana suddenly felt the weight of each second they had spent apart. Prior to the evening they had gone to the island, she had been with him every day for almost two months. Returning to her apartment alone that night, shutting him out… it had been one of the hardest things she had ever had to do. But also one of the most necessary.

“Hi,” she said softly to both of them as she shifted her chair closer to the table. Slowly, flushing with embarrassment, Gaius sat back down. Diana couldn’t even attempt to process why Gaius was here and why he might be speaking with Adrian. She was too distracted by the whirlwind of emotion that was wicking off of him, all of it flooding through the bond.

It was almost too much to be near him, to feel his shock, relief, joy, pain, and anger―all of it, for her.

“Did you two have a good time sparring?” Adrian asked politely before the silence that settled over the table could drag on too long.

“Yeah,” she replied, numbly grabbing the menu before her, partially to have something to do with her anxious hands and partially to shield her face. “Helped me clear my head a bit.”

Well, that was a lie. Sparring had exposed her to Jax’s needling, which had planted her here, unable to even think straight with Gaius sitting beside her. Diana wanted to reach out for him, to feel his skin against hers, and reassure both of them that she was here. She wanted to apologize for staying away but she couldn’t because no matter how awful it made her feel, it was necessary. 

“I think she’s losing her touch,” Jax teased as a server came to fill their glasses with water and bring over a bottle of wine. “I got a hit on her.”

“That so?” Adrian lifted a brow, his mouth curling at the edges in amusement. “So it was, what, one point for you and over a hundred for Diana?”

The three of them continued on like that for a while, casually bantering until their server returned to take their order. Diana wasn’t even certain what she asked for, she had just picked the first thing her gaze landed on when it was her turn to order. She was too focused on Gaius, who was a dizzying maelstrom of thought and emotion but was otherwise perfectly silent throughout the entire conversation.

Gradually, the conversation turned away from light-hearted jesting, and Jax and Adrian got down to discussing the processes of approving new Turnings. Diana reached for a roll from the breadbasket and tore it apart with her hands, not even bothering to butter it. She slouched in her seat, wishing she could disappear into its cushions as she felt Gaius’s attention zero in on her.

_ Where have you been. _

It wasn’t even phrased like a question. She could hear the hurt in his voice, the betrayal. 

Diana told herself she should ignore it, that she should keep her end of the bond blocked off for his own good, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not when he was right there, staring at her with those blue eyes that always seemed to see right through her. He had her cornered and unable to hide, especially from him.

_ I was at home, _ she replied, tearing off a piece of bread and shoving it into her mouth as she sunk even further in her seat, unable to meet his gaze.

_ You were avoiding me.  _ Even in her head, she could hear his voice strain.

_ No. _

_ Liar, _ he snapped and she winced. Out of her peripheral, Diana saw his face soften and he backed down, his eyes straying to his empty plate. Beyond Gaius, Diana was barely aware of anything else. Adrian and Jax were just faint voices in the distance and the bustling restaurant around them was nothing more than static in the background of her thoughts. 

She wanted to go to him, to wrap her arms around him and kiss him, to do anything she could to make up for her absence and radio silence. But she knew she shouldn’t and they both hated that she didn’t, and that knowledge only made her want to cry and cave even more.

_ Talk to me,  _ he pleaded and Diana squeezed her eyes shut. She shook her head.

_ Why?  _ His voice in her head was so soft, it made her heart ache.

_ Because I can’t,  _ she confessed, too honest for her own good.  _ I can’t, because if I do, I won’t be able to stay away from you. _

Gaius sucked in a sharp breath beside her, inaudible to everyone but her. She couldn’t help it. She was so attuned to him, the slightest things he did. She watched his hands clench into fists in his lap as if he were restraining himself from reaching out to her. 

_ Why do you want to?  _ he asked gently. When Diana only shook her head in response, he continued,  _ Is it something I did? _

Diana whipped her head towards him, finally looking at him head-on. She felt something in her chest cave at the mere sight of him. His face was carefully neutral―a mask, she knew so the others would not pay them any attention―but his eyes said it all.

_ No,  _ she said, stressing that simple word so he knew she meant it.  _ Of course not. _

He looked away again, this time gazing out over the Manhattan skyline so she couldn’t see his expression. Then― _ Do you regret it? What happened in Zermatt? _

Diana felt her heart seize in her chest and her lungs constricted painfully. Is that what he thought? But then again, had she really left him with any reason to believe otherwise?

_ No, _ she told him.  _ God, no. Never. _

Something in him seemed to ease slightly, but only briefly.

_ Then why? Why did you go? You shut me out, Diana. Without a word.  _ The lines of his body grew tense again, this time with frustration.  _ You can’t just  _ do _ that. The last time I saw you, you had passed out from blood loss. When I woke up the next night and you weren’t there― _

_ Stop,  _ she begged, clenching her jaw as she closed her eyes in an attempt to ward off the memories of the moment she had left, but it was no use. She remembered waking up that night in a cold sweat, her chest tight with fear. She remembered kissing his temple one last time before slipping out of his arms, her mind made up to stay away. Then, she had been so certain that distancing herself was the right thing to do. Hell, up until five minutes ago, she was still certain that ending this… this  _ fling _ of theirs was the best thing for him because at least it kept him safe, and she would do whatever it took to make sure he didn’t get hurt because of her.

But looking at him now, it seemed that she had already failed at that. 

_ Why did you leave?  _ he asked hoarsely.  _ Talk to me,  _ diviana.

Diana felt something in her shatter at that and she caved.  _ Okay. But not now. After. _

Gaius was silent for a long moment and Diana tore the rest of her bread roll into shreds on her empty plate just to have something to do with her hands. When she had finished, she dropped them into her lap where they anxiously tugged at a loose thread in the cuff of her sleeve. He asked hesitantly,  _ Are you here now? _

Diana knew he didn’t just mean physically. She heard his silent questions.  _ Are you here to stay? Or are you going to disappear again?  _ But she didn’t know how to answer him. Not without lying in some way or another.

_ I want to be.  _ That much was the truth.

Another beat of silence passed. Then slowly, as if hesitating, Gaius reached across the gap between them and covered her hand with his beneath the table.  _ Is this okay? _

Diana took in a deep breath, nearly overwhelmed with the intoxicating sensation of feeling his skin on hers for the first time in weeks. Then she nodded, flipping her hand over to fit her palm against his. He laced their fingers together and Diana wanted to melt into his touch. She wanted to tell him that being next to him was the only thing that could ever make things even remotely “okay.”

_ I missed you,  _ Gaius admitted almost sheepishly and Diana glanced over at him, her brows knitting together. He was staring at some point on the table, face pensive.  _ I don’t know when it happened, but at some point, I suppose I just got used to you always being around.  _ The corners of his lips drew down.  _ When you were gone, I didn’t know what to think. I just knew that I missed you. _

_ I missed you, too, _ she admitted softly. She tried to offer him a close-lipped smile, but it felt false on her lips. As their server returned with their meals, Diana turned away from him although she held his hand tighter, making sure cherish this moment while she still could. She wasn’t sure when she would get the chance to do so again.

Because sooner or later, she had to end this.


	20. Chapter 19: Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out.

**_New York, New York, 2042_ **

Two courses later, Diana and Gaius sat by a fire pit at the edge of the rooftop, away from prying eyes as they overlooked the twinkling lights of the Manhattan skyline beyond. The restaurant had cleared out significantly, only a few parties lingering at the bar. After dessert and a round of drinks, Jax and Adrian had moved on to the office to continue discussing the new propositions.

Diana knew she and Gaius had a lot to talk about, but she wanted to linger a bit more, simply enjoying being here with him while she still could. She reclined against the back of a lounge chair, nursing a mint julep as Gaius sat by her legs with a glass of whiskey, his hand resting comfortably on her knee. He had yet to shift their conversation beyond idle talk either, as if even he knew to take advantage of this peace while they had it.

“Sometimes it amazes me,” Gaius murmured, his eyes trained on the passing cars below. “How far the world has come.”

“I suppose you’ve seen it all, huh?” Diana asked, trailing her finger around her cool glass, collecting the condensation on her fingertip. “All the great inventions. The new breakthroughs.”

“Mm,” he confirmed, swirling his drink in his free hand. Diana noticed he had yet to actually drink any of his whiskey, but chalked it up to being distracted. “I didn’t think much of it. When you live this long, you expect change and new developments. Whenever some groundbreaking technology or what have you was found, I was always more surprised that it hadn’t happened sooner.”

“You never dipped your toes into research?” Diana prodded, sipping from her glass. “With all that time on your hands and that sharp mind of yours, I imagine you could have invented the lightbulb a thousand years earlier if you wanted to.”

His lip quirked briefly but Diana caught the somber gleam in his eyes. “I did. But nothing good ever came out of my ambitions.”

Unbidden, the memories from those tapestry fragments resurfaced and Diana was reminded of Gaius’s plan to expand his shadow kingdom and utilize the Reaper virus. She brushed against his mind.  _ You weren’t completely yourself. _

He shook his head. “It was still enough of me.”

Diana chewed her lip, mouth pulling into a frown as she wondered if there would ever come a day when he could truly live unburdened by a past he could not control. Against her better judgment, she reached out and grabbed his sleeve. Gaius looked over at her with a brow raised before allowing himself to be pulled up the length of the lounge chair to sit beside her.

“I know you don’t believe it’s enough, Gaius,” she murmured, her gaze intent on his. “But you’ve come a long way from the butcher Rheya made you into.”

His eyes searched hers for a long moment, so long, in fact, Diana was suddenly breathless, her heart picking up speed. Gaius hesitantly reached out and cupped her cheek with his palm, his touch feather-light as if he expected her to flinch away from him. Diana felt as if they were back in the days before Zermatt, when the boundaries still existed but were just a little more hazy. She supposed that wasn’t far from the truth. 

Diana knew she should pull away, to stop while she was ahead and leaving him got even harder. But then she saw his gaze drop to her lips and she could hardly think anymore, her limbs growing unsteady. When his eyes met hers and she read the question in them, Diana knew she was a goner. 

His kiss was gentle, exploratory, giving her the time and freedom to pull away, but  _ god _ , she did not want to, not when kissing him felt this good, this _ right. _ For the first time in two weeks, she felt alive again, her mind buzzing with something other than dread and melancholy. Diana seized him by the front of his shirt, a black button-up that Adrian must have lent to him and urged him closer. 

Gaius stiffened for a moment as if surprised by the ardor in her kiss before he eased into her touch, plucking her drink out of her hand and setting both of their glasses aside before they could spill. He wrapped an arm around her waist, his hand framing her ribs but never straying far as if he no longer knew where he was allowed to go. 

Diana wanted to drown in him, in this moment. No air was a small price to pay for this little slice of heaven, this blessed bit of time, especially if it was supposed to be one of their last together. The mere thought of leaving struck a chord so deep, Diana gasped softly against his lips but before he could draw away and ask her what was wrong, she pulled him back in, not quite ready to part.

Earlier, he had asked her if she regretted what happened in Zermatt. She had answered no, and no truer words had ever been spoken. She had no regrets about him, about letting him into her heart―even if she wasn’t willing to admit that part yet. The only thing she wished to change was how much time they had together, because it wasn’t nearly enough. Even as she thought that, however, Diana knew that no amount of time with him would ever truly be enough, not even an eternity―if they were so fortunate to be granted one together.

Kamilah had once said that pain was the price of love. Was that what this was? Love? Diana couldn’t wrap her mind around it, could not fathom the possibility that she had fallen for this man so quickly, so deeply. 

She tried to think of a clear moment when it could have happened; she saw when partnership turned to a begrudging friendship, and friends turned to lovers, but when it came to discerning where love could have entered the mix, she came up short. The lines always had been blurred between them. Perhaps it had always been there, even in the beginning.

But perhaps this wasn’t love at all, but it could have been. And that possibility was what left Diana reeling. Then again, if this wasn’t love then why did it hurt so much to let it go?

Realizing this, she felt like she was sixteen again, young and reckless and drunk on affection. She was burning, her heart racing as if she had just crept back into her childhood home after sneaking out for a night of mischief. It made her feel terrified and giddy and somber all at once. She pressed her lips to his, over and over again to give them something else to do, because if she stopped, surely, she would say something and that something would shatter her to pieces in his arms. 

Diana held him even closer and felt something crack in her chest as he whispered her name like a prayer and a plea. She choked down that feeling, nearly trembling with the force of it, and Gaius ran his hands up and down her arms, as if it was something as simple as the cold air that made her body quiver like this.

So maybe it was love. 

“Gaius,” Diana breathed, pulling away at last, her dark eyes meeting his.

She really hoped it wasn’t.

She took a deep breath to steel herself and swallowed those three damning words. “We need to talk.”

* * *

Gaius did not like where this was going.

He watched from the couch in his room as Diana stood by the window, her gaze trained on the pinpricks of passing headlights on the street far below them as her fingers anxiously yanked on the tattered drawstring of her sweatshirt. She looked so… different. Not because she wasn’t wearing any makeup or she was dressed comfortably―he didn’t care about any of that, had seen it plenty of times before. She still took his breath away.

When she had appeared on the rooftop tonight, he’d been so relieved to see her alive and whole, he could hardly think of anything else. But his relief had quickly melted when he saw the shadows beneath her eyes, the grayish pallor of her skin. What had  _ happened? _

Something was wrong―very wrong―he knew that much. But the knowledge of whatever that something was, he evidently wasn’t privy to, which worried him almost as much as it frustrated him. Didn’t she trust him? They shared a psychic bond, their thoughts and feelings were connected, but more than that, he was bound to her and she to him―although she didn’t know that yet. Gaius winced inwardly. She might have some things to share tonight, but so did he. 

“So.” Diana cleared her throat, turning around and leaning her back against the window to face him. “Why were you with Adrian tonight?”

Gaius leveled her with a flat look. He couldn’t help it. This was clearly not what she wanted to talk about, which meant she was stalling. For what, he didn’t know, but the fact that it made her so anxious made _ him _ anxious. 

Gaius wanted to laugh at how far he had fallen. He was over three thousand years old and had more lovers than he could count, but here he was, twisted in knots and bent out of shape, all because of one woman. Except, of course, Diana wasn’t just some woman. He was not even certain there were words strong enough to describe what she was to him.

That reminder was enough to make his demeanor soften. Fine. If she wanted to stall, he would play along. For now. 

“I’ve spent a lot of time with Adrian, lately,” Gaius said slowly, still working out the events of the last two weeks himself. It was weird, to say the least, considering his long and twisted history with Adrian. “I didn’t exactly have much else to do,” he continued and caught Diana flinch. “So I asked him if I could do anything to help and he asked me for my opinion on some new bills that pertained to human-vampire relations. I think he was doing it more as a courtesy to you, but…” He shrugged. “By the third day, we were actually making some progress. I was actually supposed to be discussing the Turnings with him and Jax tonight. I didn’t know you would be there.”

Diana nodded along as he spoke, her brows raised in surprised approval, and Gaius couldn’t help but wonder what she thought he was doing this whole time. Waiting for her to return like some dog waiting for its master? Or did she expect him to return to Europe now that their work was done?

“That’s good. That you and Adrian are working together,” she replied after a moment, and he wanted to bash his head against the wall. This conversation was  _ awful _ , weighed down with all of the things they had to say but couldn’t quite get out. It had never been like this between them, even at the beginning. Barely two weeks ago, they had been thick as thieves. He had never met someone who knew him as well as Diana did, and he was certain that no one else ever would. 

But now they were here, no more than ten feet apart, although it felt as if she might as well have been on the other end of the universe. She hadn’t just left him alone in his room that night after returning from the island. The Diana he knew had disappeared, gone somewhere he couldn’t follow.

“Why did you leave, Diana?” Gaius questioned, unable to sustain the small talk any longer. “What aren’t you telling me?”

She blinked, taken aback by his bluntness. Her brows drew together. “Gaius…”

“I know something is wrong,” he insisted, getting to his feet. “You’re scared and I don’t understand why you can’t just tell me why. Do you not trust me―?”

“No,” Diana interjected, her lips parting as if the fact that he had even thought that was appalling to her. “No. Gaius, I trust you more than  _ anyone.” _

“Then why?” he snapped, shoving his hands through his hair as he began to pace by the glass coffee table. “Why did you leave? You can’t even _ talk  _ to me, Diana. Look at us! We have always been honest with each other from the start. It’s the one thing we’ve always had, and now you can hardly look me in the eye. Christ, what did I  _ do _ ―”

“Nothing!” Diana cried, her fingers fluttering up to her temples, and for a moment, she looked so distressed Gaius almost dropped the conversation then and there before she continued. “I’m dangerous to be around, Gaius! I couldn’t stop the Tree’s influence so it's only a matter of time before it fully corrupts me. You saw what happened on the island, I―”

“ _ Nothing  _ happened on the island, Diana,” Gaius insisted, crossing the space between them in three long strides. He took her wrists in his hands, holding them between them. “You didn’t do anything,  _ diviana. _ You stopped it.”

“I didn’t  _ do _ anything?” Diana scoffed in disbelief. She shook her head and yanked her hands from his grip, her eyes welling up. “Well let’s see,” she said, tapping one finger against her other palm. “I was hijacked by the Tree because I didn’t listen to Demetrius.” Another finger tapped her palm. “I almost killed Kamilah.” A third finger went up. “And I almost killed  _ you! _ ” Her voice broke at last, tears freely spilling down her cheeks. She rapped her fingers against his chest with every word. “I almost  _ killed you, _ Gaius.  _ That  _ is  _ something _ ,” she sobbed, her chest heaving. “Your life might not mean anything to you, but it does to me!”

Gaius stared back at her, lips parted in surprise. Still stunned by the force of her emotion, he could only open and close his mouth wordlessly as he covered her hand on his chest.  _ That’s _ why…? “Diana…”

“That’s why I have to stay away from you,” she rasped, her voice utterly broken as she backed away from him. “I can’t hurt you, Gaius. I can’t. If you got hurt because of me or  _ worse _ ―” Diana broke off, wrapping her arms around herself as she shook her head, unable to even finish the thought.

Gaius felt like he couldn’t breathe. Looking at her, she seemed so vulnerable and exposed and positively miserable, and he felt something shatter in his chest, inducing a pain so acute and vicious, he felt weak in the knees. He didn’t even know that this dark, wicked heart of his had the capacity to ache as such.

“You won’t hurt me, Diana,” he said gently, stepping forward. 

“You can’t promise that,” she croaked, retreating a step.

Gaius paused, noting that she was backing away and hating that she did. “You won’t,  _ diviana. _ I know this.” His hands clenched into fists at his sides to stop them from shaking, from reaching out for her. His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. “I know this, not because we are bonded, but because I know you. Perhaps better than you know yourself.”

It was something she had told him once, way back in Bergen. It seemed like an entire lifetime had passed since then, and in a way, Gaius supposed one did. He was not the same man he had been then. Since then, they had come together and come apart. He did not know where that left them now, but he knew where he wanted them to be. 

“Gaius, this has to end.” Diana was pleading with him, begging for him to stop. But he wouldn’t, not this time.

“And if I don’t want it to?” he asked. She looked stricken.

“If you don’t… ?” Diana’s brows drew together and for a moment, he thought she might give in. But she only shook her head sadly. “It has to. I’m going to leave New York.”

“Then I’ll go with you,” Gaius countered. His relationships with Adrian and Kamilah had improved since he returned to the states, but this city wasn’t his home. There was nothing to tie him here, to tie him anywhere. There was only her. 

“Gaius―”

“Where you go, I go. We’re in this together, Diana. I can’t let you face this darkness alone.” His eyes searched her face for any cracks in her resolve, but there were none. She was hellbent on leaving by herself and if he didn’t stop her now, he had a feeling he would never see her again, no matter how far and wide he searched. But what could he offer her? He had nothing. Nothing but―

_ The truth.  _ He clenched his jaw, stomach knotting, but he knew he had no choice. This was his last piece to play, the only secret he had ever kept from her. 

He could hear Kamilah’s voice from the night they arrived in New York urging him,  _ Tell her.  _

“We are bound, Diana,” Gaius whispered, his voice echoing in the quiet room. “The psychic bond between us… it didn’t form just because we are equals. Perfect complements.”

He watched surprise and confusion flutter across her face. “I don’t… what are you saying? Kamilah confirmed these bonds have existed before.”

“They have,” Gaius said gently, carefully choosing his words as he slowly stepped towards her. “But that’s not all there is to the bonds. Bonds form between two people because they are  _ bound _ . Bound to be together. Bound by fate.” He swallowed. “There’s no better match. You… You are it for me, Diana. I am bound to you. Heart and soul. There will never be anyone else.”

Gaius watched Diana with his heart in his throat as this new information sunk in, his eyes searching her face for any shift in emotion as her gaze fell to the floor. When Diana finally spoke, her voice was deathly quiet. “I am bound to you.”

Gaius had not realized until now how badly he wanted to hear those words from her. But now that he had, he knew they sounded all wrong. He nodded, unable to gauge her reaction, even through the bond. It was like trying to read a blank slate. 

Diana’s eyes met his and his heart plummeted. Her honey brown eyes were not full of the warmth he had grown accustomed to, but they were not burning or cold either. They were perfectly devoid of anything, just like they had been in some of his most horrible nightmares, although this time, there were no dark powers at play.

“When were you going to tell me,” she breathed.

His brow furrowed and he took a step back. “Diana, I… “

“When were you going to tell me?” Diana repeated, a razor-sharp edge to her voice. “Certainly not  _ before _ you slept with me in Zermatt.”

Gaius blanched. He was going to be sick. He shook his head, numb. “Diana, please―”

“Would you have told me before or after I spent centuries trying to find someone, only to have everything end in heartbreak?” She demanded, stepping closer now as he backed away. “After I found a thousand Adrians?”

“I never wanted you to feel pressured,” Gaius rasped, certain his chest was caving in on itself now. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. This wasn’t… How had this happened? This was  _ wrong. _

“I _ think  _ I had a right to know, Gaius,” she snapped, “that my  _ entire future _ was tied to you.”

“ _ Diviana _ ―”

“ _ Don’t. _ ” She reared back from him and he saw the pain that colored her eyes. Somehow, that made everything even worse. “Don’t call me that.”

Gaius felt like he was falling. He nodded, his throat hoarse as he said, “Diana.”

“What happened to ‘we have always been honest with each other?’” Gaius hated the shakiness of her voice, the betrayal she felt clear in every word. “Or did that only pertain to me telling  _ you _ everything?”

“That was it, Diana,” he pleaded with her, shaking his head. “That is the only thing I have ever kept from you. I swear.”

“Yeah?” She laughed mirthlessly. “Yeah. Well, that’s only the  _ biggest _ thing you could have kept from me. Do I even have a choice in this? How I feel about you? Or is that just fate?”

Gaius’s voice hardened, his temper flaring. He would be lying if he said that this spark of anger didn’t feel better than the ache in his chest. “You  _ know _ it’s not.”

Diana shook her head, her face falling. “I don’t.”

“Diana.” He gave into his impulse to reach for her but she turned and began walking away. “Where―?”

He cut himself off as he watched her stride into the kitchen and yank the drawers open until she found what she was looking for. Diana drew out a knife, it’s blade gleaming in the harsh white lights of the room as she returned to him. When she stopped before him, she drew the golden chain around her neck over her head, the Mercurian Compass dangling at the end. Diana took his hand and pressed the hilt of the knife and the amulet into his palm.

“I want you to go,” she whispered, her gaze stuck to the floor as if she couldn’t even bear to look at him.

Gaius felt his whole body go cold. “What?”

Her brows drew together and he noticed her bottom lip quivered before she took it between her teeth. Her voice was nearly inaudible as she repeated, “I want you to go. I needed to be apart from you for your own sake. Now, it’s not only necessary, but I want you to go. I want you to use the Compass and leave.”

This was what true heartbreak felt like. Gaius thought he had become well acquainted with lost love after Rheya. But that was nothing compared to the horrible pain he felt now. 

He couldn’t even form a coherent thought, much less a valid argument. He stared at the amulet in his hand and numbly said, “But you need this.”

Diana shook her head and stepped back. “No. I don’t.”

The only way he could describe her tone, her expression, and her body language was resigned. She had given up. On stopping the Tree’s influence, on saving herself, and on him.

“Diana…” He tried one last time, his voice breaking.

She squeezed her eyes shut, angling her face away as she wrapped her arms around herself. “Please, Gaius. Go.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came. Gaius stared at her for a moment longer, coming to the realization that this was the last time he would get to do so. He wished he could have been left with a kinder sight, but he committed every bit of her to memory, his heart yearning as he took in the curve of her cheek, the slope of her nose, the bow of her lips. Diana still did not look at him, but he knew her eyes well enough. They always seemed to pierce right through him.

Gaius wanted to say something but there was nothing he could give her that she would want to hear. And he would have given her anything.

Gaius swallowed the lump in his throat and shifted the amulet into one hand, the knife in the other, leaving part of his palm exposed. He drew the blade across his skin and the amulet flared to life as it became stained with his blood.

_ Where?  _ the voices asked, but Gaius didn’t know what to tell them. He looked at Diana one last time and gently brushed against her mind before replying,  _ Anywhere. _

He barely glimpsed the first tear roll down Diana’s cheek as the amulet flashed and he disappeared.

* * *

Diana knew Gaius was gone when the brightness behind her eyelids faded. She felt his presence wink out like a light, leaving her cold, empty, and bereft. Trembling, she opened her eyes, confirming what she already knew as she took in the empty space he had once occupied.

A sob burst forth from her lips and she brokenly whispered into the empty room,  _ “Gaius.” _

She reached for the bond and her heart plummeted as she found that it was still intact, but was weak with distance. Wherever he was, it was far, far away from her. Even in her mind, he was gone.

Diana collapsed to the ground, bent over her knees, and sobbed. 


	21. Chapter 20: Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana and Gaius come to terms with life apart from each other.

**_New York New York, 2042_ **

Diana didn’t know how long she stayed there on the cold tiled floor, curled on her side. She had stopped crying a while ago after having apparently drained herself dry, but every now and then, she would shudder and gasp, tempted to start weeping again if only she could. 

Gaius was bound to her. She was bound to him.

_ You are it for me, Diana. I am bound to you. Heart and soul. There will never be anyone else. _

A pitiful sound escaped her lips and she curled in tighter around herself. They were bound. 

When Gaius had told her that secret, he looked absolutely terrified. Not in the way that other people showed their fear. No, his face was relatively calm, but Diana knew all of his minute expressions, all of the little nuances that subtly reflected the things he tried to hide. She knew what he looked like when he was irritated, worried, and uneasy, but she had never seen him like this―so terribly afraid. It had shaken her to the core.

And yet, she had turned him away. She had been cold and absolutely awful, too blinded by her anger that yet another aspect of her life seemed to be out of her hands to stop herself. 

First, there was her identity: her Bloodkeeper lineage would have roped her into this whole shadow world mess even if Adrian hadn’t found her first, and more than that, her mother’s underdeveloped abilities had altered her entire childhood. Then there had been her Turning, which took away any chance she had at a normal life, and then she had to usurp Rheya, which set her even further apart from everyone she knew and loved. And if all of that wasn’t enough already, there was this new task placed upon her concerning the Tree of Eternal Death. And then the bond―

Diana faltered, feeling as if the ground had been torn from beneath her. Gaius had not asked to be bound either. But she was just  _ so sick _ of all of these secrets.

Diana revisited the moment she told him to leave, when she pressed the knife and amulet into his palm. He had looked so stricken, so lost. And in that moment, Diana had never hated herself more. 

Diana wasn’t sure how much time passed when she the door open to Gaius’s room―no, not Gaius’s anymore, she reminded herself. She couldn’t see who entered and was too drained to use her senses, but she heard as their steady footsteps as they crossed the room to her and then paused. Then, wordlessly, they sat down beside her, clothes softly rustling.

Diana didn’t move or speak and whoever sat with her didn’t force her to. For that, she was grateful. A comfortable silence lapsed between them and Diana felt her companion’s warm presence wrap around her like a comforting cocoon. As time stretched on and Diana’s sniffles gradually faded away, she began to develop an inkling of who had joined her in her silent mourning.

Slowly, Diana got her elbow beneath her, propping herself up by her forearm. She wiped at her eyes and blinked a few times, her cheeks stiff with the remnants of her tears. After taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, she sat up and turned around.

“Adrian,” she rasped, her voice hoarse. He was sitting across from her with his forearms resting on his folded knees, the sleeves of his dress shirt pushed up to his elbows. At the sound of her voice, he blinked, seemingly coming out of his own thoughts. She saw his eyes sharpen with clarity.

“How are you feeling?” he asked gently as his gaze traveled over her face. 

“Not great,” she admitted because there was no point in lying. Diana didn’t need to see a mirror to know that her eyes were red and swollen. She folded her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, setting her chin on top of her knees. Diana looked at Adrian, scanning him from head to toe. He had ditched his tie and suit jacket, and his hair was sticking up in places like it always when he ran his hands through it in frustration. He must have just finished up with work or his discussion with Jax. “How did you know I was here?”

“Ah, well…” Adrian scratched the back of his neck and glanced out the window. “Security reported to me about an hour ago that there was a bright flash in the building―something of a spectacle―that could be seen all the way from the street. When I had time, I thought I would stop by and make sure everything is alright.” He paused, hesitating, his eyes flitting to hers. “Something tells me it’s not.”

Diana huffed a hollow laugh and she shook her head, nuzzling her chin into her arm. “No. It’s not.” When Adrian didn’t prod her further, she felt relieved. How much he would know depended entirely on what she wanted to share. But honestly? Diana was tired of hiding. “I told Gaius to go.”

“Go?” Adrian echoed, brows furrowing. “Go… where?”

Diana shrugged, her eyes straying to the floor.

“Ah,” Adrian said, more to himself than her. “I see.”

_ Do you? _ she wanted to ask but instead, she only sighed. “He said that we were bound.”

When Adrian didn’t respond, she glanced over at him. His lips were pursed and he was staring at the wall, face pensive. “Bound” he echoed. “As in… meant to be together.”

He said it with such certainty, Diana had to ask, “Did you know?”

Adrian’s brows rose and he faced her again, shaking his head. “No. Well, not really.” He sighed, fingers toying with the cuff of his sleeve. “I did some research in the archives the last few weeks after you mentioned the bond the day you returned. I found a couple of entries about encounters with people who were thought to be bound as well as some theories about what these bonds meant.”

“Out of curiosity?” she supplied.

Adrian gave her a wan smile and she saw the solemn gleam in his eye. “Jealousy. Although I was a bit curious myself. Kamilah knew of it, but she never told me anything.”

_ Jealousy. _ Diana’s eyes fell to the floor, her gaze traveling across the space between them. Only a few feet separated them, but she knew that so much more kept them apart. This gap had been years in the making. Perhaps it had been there all along. If she was destined for someone else… 

“We were never going to work were we?” Diana whispered, carefully studying Adrian’s face.

He gave her another one of those smiles, its edges just a little too sad. “No, I don’t think so,” he admitted. His gaze traveled to the window and the encroaching dawn beyond as he sighed. “But not because of this.”

Diana nodded slowly, taking this in. She knew deep down for a while now that she and Adrian were not always a good match. Yes, they had been happy together, and there was no lack of love in their relationship. She would always remember him as one of the best things to ever happen to her, someone who brought her immense happiness and changed her life for the better, despite everything they had been through. 

But Adrian had always given in to her just a little too easily―whenever they fought, he yielded rather than argue back, and whenever Diana was upset and said she didn’t want to talk, he let her sit in silence. Which was good sometimes; it was often easier to open up and be honest when it was on her own terms. But it was also part of the reason so many things between them went unsaid. Perhaps if he had pushed a little harder and she’d been a little better at sharing, it could have worked. Or maybe they just would have realized they didn’t quite fit together sooner. 

“I suppose I got too complacent after Rheya,” Adrian continued. “I let myself forget that you were still so young… how new all of this was to you. I got used to the thought that you’d always be around, waiting for me. But I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I’m sorry,” Diana said softly, hugging her knees tighter to her chest.

Adrian looked at her. “It was no one’s fault.”

He was right. Not her’s. Not his. Not Gaius’s either.

Diana buckled, crumbling under the weight of everything that had happened in the last few months. She fisted her hands in the folds of her sweatshirt to keep them from shaking as she began to tell Adrian everything. 

Diana told him about finding Gaius and the amulet in Aosta, about asking him to join her on her search for the artifacts. She told him about the Black Shuck and Rome―the  _ lemures  _ and how she had funneled her power into Gaius, strengthening the bond that had just tentatively begun to form. She told Adrian about her deal with Gaius to purge his memories and she told him about the peaceful forest in Norway and its magical inhabitants, who for some reason, chose her for a goddess. 

Everything came rushing out. The Daughters of Rheya, Serafine attacking them, their jump to Switzerland, and their long trek to civilization. She told him about Zermatt and the connection that grew there. By the time Diana got to her last conversation with Gaius, she was exhausted, new tears staining her cheeks.

“I shouldn’t have made him leave,” she breathed, her chest heaving as if she had just run a marathon. The admission felt like a stain on her soul, marking a crime she would never be absolved of.

“I understand why you did,” Adrian said carefully, the first words he had spoken since she started sharing everything. He gave her a sharp look. “But, I hope you know that we aren’t going to give up on you or Demetrius. We are going to keep looking for solutions. And I don’t like that you were planning on leaving without telling any of us. You know that’s not how we do things.”

Diana winced and nodded, her gaze falling to the floor in shame. She hadn’t even thought of how she would have broken the news to the others. She only knew it would be difficult, but it wouldn’t have stopped her.

“We work together, understand?” Adrian questioned, his voice soft but not weak. “Perhaps I made a mistake given you so much space after we…” he trailed off, shaking his head as he picked up a different approach. “From now on, no more isolation, no more secrets. You can have your space, Diana, but you need to keep at least one of us updated before you do something dangerous. Gaius isn’t the only one who gets to love and care about you―”

Diana flinched and she sat up straight. “He doesn’t.”

“He does,” Adrian insisted. “And it’s not because you two are bound.”

Diana opened and closed her mouth a few times before she asked, “Did he tell you?”

Adrian huffed. “No. We never talked about you. There’s only so much I can stand with him right now. But I know he does.” 

His tone grew thoughtful. “I have known Gaius long enough, and I remember the good parts of him that managed to shine through apart from Rheya’s corruption.” His eyes searched Diana’s face, his head tilting to the side as he studied her. “And I know you too. Perhaps not the way Gaius does, but that only adds to my point. There’s just something about you, Diana, that draws everyone in―I could never quite figure it out.” Adrian gave her a small smile. “To know you is to love you. I couldn’t help it. I don’t think Gaius could either.”

Diana’s chest ached. She always knew that loving could be painful, but she never could have imagined that simply being loved would ever hurt just as much. Diana shook her head solemnly. “It doesn’t matter. He’s gone.”

The skin between Adrian’s brows pinched and his lips tightened. “From this room, yes,” he said slowly. “But no one’s ever really gone. You can still fix this, Diana.”

Diana felt her jaw slacken. “You think I should… search for him?”

“I think you should do what would make you happiest,” Adrian replied, picking his words carefully, as if he still could not outwardly bring himself to fully endorse the man who evidently had the heart of the woman he had loved so deeply for so long. “And clearly, being apart from him doesn’t do that.”

Diana frowned, chewing on her lip. “But I don’t even know where to begin. He could be anywhere… the bond is so weak, I can’t do anything with it.”

Adrian nodded at this, his face drawn in thought. Then he got up and glanced around the room, his eyes snagging on something. He paced towards the bed and Diana watched as he picked something up. Gaius’s sheathed _ gladius. _ He had left it behind. 

Adrian weighed it in his hands, gazing at it. Diana could see the gears working in his mind like clockwork. She couldn’t help but think of how he and Gaius were alike in this, their intelligence and quick wit. Diana realized that most of the members of Gaius’s closest circle resembled him in some way―Adrian’s vision, Kamilah’s strength, Vega’s charisma, the Baron’s brutal efficiency, Priya’s cunning, and even Lester’s hedonism; perhaps that was why he had been drawn to them all in the first place. 

“One of the benefits of living in the modern world,” Adrian began, crossing the room to her, “is that everyone leaves some sort of media trace.”

He held out Gaius’s _ gladius. _ Diana blinked, then carefully took it. Immediately, she felt some of her pain ease, her heart soothed by this little piece of him that she had left. “What do you mean?”

“I imagine Gaius still believes he has much to atone for. And rightly so,” Adrian explained, settling on the arm of the couch. “He’ll be out there, fighting monsters and rescuing civilians. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned about humans is that they love the supernatural and they love a good hero. Anyone Gaius comes into contact to, they’re likely going to be telling stories about him for a long time.” Adrian huffed, shaking his head in disbelief. “Even without trying, Gaius still manages to be something of a legend.”

Diana smiled slightly at that. She stood, her joints popping and muscles pleasantly burning after being frozen in such a tense position for so long. She cradled Gaius’s sword in her hands, holding it carefully even though it would take much more than a mere drop to break it. “So you’re suggesting that I can pick up his trail by looking for accounts of him?”

“Exactly.” Adrian nodded. “The internet is a good place to start after we give it some time. Actually…” He glanced away, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. “That’s how I’ve been keeping tabs on Gaius all of these years.”

Diana’s lips parted. “You knew where he was all of this time? What he was doing?”

Adrian hesitated, then nodded. “I had to be sure that freeing him hadn’t been a mistake. If he became a problem again, I didn’t want you or Kamilah to feel responsible in dealing with him. He’s…” Adrian grimaced slightly as if it pained him to admit this. “He’s done a lot of good. Perhaps not enough, yes. But… he’s trying.”

Diana sat on the couch, stunned into silence. “Huh.”

So Adrian had known all along what Gaius was up to. All those years she had wondered―hoped, even―that Gaius was out there, keeping his promise to her, and Adrian knew. She wanted to laugh. All this time, she could have just asked.

“You look… amused,” Adrian noted, concern coloring his voice.

Diana shrugged. “Just thinking about the irony of it all.”

Diana remembered the night she had found Gaius, how her heart had soared when they had spoken in her room before the fireplace.

_ I am not wasting this second chance. You did not spare me for nothing. I promised I would do you proud. I will never forget that.  _

Diana realized she would not have traded that moment for anything. She wondered if even then, her soul had loved his.

“How long do you think it will be until we find something?” She asked, feeling hope rise in her chest. The sooner they found something, the sooner she could find Gaius and apologize, and if she was lucky, perhaps he would forgive her. Then they could give this whole bound thing a try. Her heart sank a little. There was still the problem of Demetrius. “And even if I do find Gaius… what about me? I’m still… a risk.”

“Stories could start popping up as soon as the next couple of days,” Adrian shrugged before fixing her with a stern look. “And I meant what I said before. We aren’t going to give up on a solution. Those artifacts are the key. Jax, Kamilah, and I will keep trying to fit the pieces together while you search for Gaius and the Mercurian Compass. We’ll fix this before anything can happen, Diana. You just have to have faith in us. Don’t give up so easily.”

“And if we don’t find a solution in time?”

“Diana―”

“Please,” she insisted, anxiously wringing her hands. “It’s still a possibility, and you know that, Adrian. I need to know you guys are prepared for that. For―” Diana swallowed the lump in her throat. “For me.”

Sorrow colored Adrian’s eyes and his lips pulled into a frown. “If that happens, we’ll find a way to deal with it. Just like we always do.” He sighed heavily. “But honestly? If something happens to you, we’re doomed anyway.”

Diana nodded, letting that knowledge sink like a weight into the pit of her stomach. “Then we better get to it.”

Adrian nodded, getting to his feet. “I’ll start searching for any traces of him. You should rest for now. As soon as I find something, I’ll let you know. Just be ready to go.”

Diana let out a long breath and stood, gripping Gaius’s sword tightly in one hand and clasping Adrian’s shoulder with the other. “Thank you, Adrian.”

He smiled but Diana caught the sad gleam in his eye. “Of course.”

Before he could pull away, Diana drew him into an bone-crushing hug. Adrian emitted a small sound of surprise, tripping over his feet slightly. But within seconds, he adjusted, holding Diana just as tightly.

“Thank you,” she whispered, eyes welling up, but not in sorrow. In joy, in hope, in love. “For this and every bit of happiness you have ever given me. You are my dearest friend, Adrian, and one of my greatest loves. Nothing will ever change that.”

Adrian squeezed her tighter and Diana could sense the peace that settled over his conflicted heart. “You deserve it all.” He drew back slightly, kissing her temple in thanks. “Thank you. For everything you have done for me, as well. For showing me that there are still wonders in this life that I have yet to discover. For showing me that my life did not end the day I was Turned.”

Diana nodded against him, blinking back tears as she released him. She gave a watery laugh when she saw that Adrian’s eyes sparkled too, but he was smiling broadly, brilliant and genuine. “You sap,” she chuckled, even as she wiped at her cheeks. She nudged his arm with her elbow. “What do you say we stop crying like a bunch of babies and save the world again, yeah?”

“Sure thing. After we get some rest.” Adrian laughed, shaking his head. He nodded towards the door, turning on his heel. “Come. I’ll walk you out.” 

Diana followed him out of the guest room and into the elevator that led them all the way down the bottom floor. After she bid Adrian goodbye and walked out into the morning sun, Gaius’s sword clutched tightly to her side, Diana realized that for the first time in a while, she felt hopeful. 

She reached for the bond, knowing it was too weak to reach her beloved. But still, she called to him, making a promise she would keep no matter what.

_ I will find you. _

* * *

**_Somewhere, 2042_ **

A puny kitchen knife certainly wasn’t as good as an ancient Roman blade, but he could make it work. 

Hell. He could make it work, with or without a stupid knife.

Snarling, Gaius hurled the small blade and watched it somersault in mid-air before landing with a satisfying squelch right in the eye of the werewolf crouched before him. It howled in pain, jerking away from the young man it had been hunched over, poised to attack.

Gaius emerged from the woods and onto the deserted farm road, fangs bared. “Given into your carnal nature so easily?” he mused aloud, stepping in front of the startled human, his body a shield. 

The werewolf clawed at its eye, yanking out the knife and flinging it aside before growling, massive body tensed to lunge.  _ A fool,  _ Gaius thought, tilting his head as he studied the beast. “No. That would suggest you were anything but a base creature. You’re not a man, just a rabid dog.”

The werewolf charged but Gaius was ready. He met the creature in the middle of the road, one hand grabbing it by the throat, halting its advance as the other burst into savage cobalt flames. Gaius punched the snarling beast in the chest, his burning fist plunging through fur, skin, and bone to grip the faltering heart beneath. 

Gaius ripped his hand out, a grim sort of satisfaction settling over him as the light died in the werewolf’s remaining eye. As its body fell to the dusty road, Gaius’s flames burned brighter, the gory heart and any remnants of blood dissipating into ash. He looked down at the felled beast and let his flames consume that too.

When there was nothing left, Gaius let out a sharp exhale. He had hoped that the adrenaline and thrill of a fight―not that it was really much of one―would distract him, make him feel a little better. Changed man or not, he was a warrior at heart. Using his body like this, to fight and protect, it should have provided some solace and relief. But his chest still ached like an open wound. He was so tired.

“You… you just saved me!” 

Gaius turned, raising a brow. The mortal man had gotten to his feet and was dusting off his clothes, face slack with awe. Gaius merely nodded and then turned to go.

“Wait!” the young man called, grabbing Gaius’s sleeve. “Who are you?”

Gaius looked down at the man’s hand, gripping his arm, then gently removed it, shaking his head. “No one.”

“You’re a vampire, right?” The man’s voice was excited, thrilled. There was no way of knowing he had just looked death in the face moments before. “My friends and I… we know that they’re common in the States, but we’ve never seen any in this area! Or if there are any, they don’t show themselves.”

Gaius merely grunted in response and began to retreat back into the woods.

“Are you some sort of monster hunter?” The young man continued on although he didn’t make any move to follow. “Please, if you need anything―a place to stay the night, food, supplies, uh―blood, even! We can help you. Let me pay you back.”

Admittedly, Gaius was tired and it had been a while since he had fed. A warm bed was more enticing than ever, especially since he had no idea where he was. Not that it mattered. Wherever he was, she was not there. 

Gaius looked up at the night sky and millions of stars blinked back at him.

He could take this man’s offer and rest his weary bones.

But the night was long and dark, and he had such a long way to walk… 

He drew in a deep breath and shook his head, meeting the mortal’s eyes.

“Which way to the sea?”


	22. Chapter 21: Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After two years of searching across Europe for Gaius, Diana finally finds a promising lead.

**_Budapest, Hungary, 2044_ **

_ I will find you. _

It had become a mantra in Diana’s head, those four simple words. They were the only thing that kept her going. She thought of them as she woke up, her body sore and aching from the day before. She thought of them as she crossed plains, rivers, and mountain ranges―always searching. Searching for her other half, her soul bonded.

Sometimes, it felt like she was chasing a ghost, a phantom lover. There was no pattern to where he traveled. Everytime she got a ping from Adrian about another civilian rescue from some sort of monster, it was hundreds of miles from the last location. Nevertheless, Diana would abandon the search of her current whereabouts and hop on the next train, plane, boat, or bus she could find, or she would walk if she had to, in hopes of catching up. But she was always too late. Every trail went cold, no matter how hard she scoured the area or how many humans she questioned. Nothing and nobody could tell her where Gaius went or where he might go next.

It was because of the Compass. It allowed him to jump from place to place in a split second. Diana wondered why he never stayed in the same town for long.

If it hadn’t been for her memories of him and the few months they spent together, Diana would have been certain she had imagined everything. Those memories kept her company at night when her weary body demanded sleep but her heart yearned to keep searching. Every night, she immersed herself in them, allowing herself to believe, just for a little while, that they were her reality.

Diana was starting to wonder if her memories were beginning to falter. 

Sometimes, when the Gaius of her memories would stroke her cheek and whisper “ _ diviana” _ she questioned if the inflection of his voice was just quite right. Was his voice a little too low? Did he emphasize the second syllable or the third? It was these little uncertainties that made her stomach twist. If her memories disappeared, she would have nothing left of him but a piece of sharpened metal. But there was nothing she could do about that except move faster and hope she found him in time. 

Time. What a funny thing. Growing up, Diana had expected to live until she was at least eighty. Perhaps even ninety or a hundred if she kept good health. Then, she had been Turned and had an eternity waiting for her. And now, she had no idea how much time was left at all. How much time she had before Demetrius’s corruption grew beyond the point of containment and Diana lost not only her memories of Gaius but her entire self―did she have days? Hours? Minutes? If she was being honest, she was surprised to have held on this long.

But there was not much she could do about that either. Adrian, Kamilah, and Jax still hadn’t found a solution, and if they had, Diana still had to find Gaius and the Compass.

_ I will find you. I will find you. _

Tonight, Diana dreamt that she was back in Zermatt with Gaius, losing herself in another memory.

_ They sit cross-legged on the bed across from each other, the styrofoam plates between them piled high with bacon, eggs, toast, and pancakes _ ― _ their spoils from the hotel’s complimentary breakfast buffet. Diana is dressed in cotton shorts and one of his sweaters, which is far too big on her. Gaius wears the pajama pants provided by the resort and a cheap touristy sweatshirt that reads, “Someone who loves me got me this shirt from Zermatt, Switzerland!” Diana thinks it's funny. Gaius laughs for her sake. _

_ Diana offers him a syrup-drenched pancake and Gaius shakes his head _ ― _ the sweet things are all for her. He reaches for a lidded cup of coffee because although the sun is up outside, they have no plans of going to sleep any time soon. Diana plants a wet, smacking kiss on his cheek as he leans forward for eggs and he grimaces, shooting her a glare and wiping his skin with the back of his hand. But when his sweater slips off her shoulder, he’s there, playfully biting the newly exposed skin as she smacks his arm with a piece of toast. _

_ The moment the food is cleared and the plates are disposed of, Gaius kisses her like a man half starved, and Diana can still taste the bitter tang of coffee on his tongue. She laughs against his lips, but when she looks back on this memory, she only wants to cry. _

Diana jolted awake, her reverie interrupted by an aggressive buzzing noise. These days, she slept lightly, her body trained to awake at a moment’s notice in case of a hostile encounter or an update from Adrian.

Today, it was the ladder.

The message read:  _ Hope you are doing well. We’re all looking forward to hearing from you on Friday. Please don’t stay in another hostel, you have a credit card for a reason. A new sighting went up early this morning. Nové Zámky, Slovakia. _

Diana sat up straight, swinging her legs over the edge of her cot. Immediately, she shoved her feet into her shoes and grabbed her pack, trying to move quietly so she didn’t disturb the sleeping backpackers, tourists, and world travelers that slept on the bunks around her. 

Attached to Adrian’s message was a link to a blog post in which the author shared their encounter with a mysterious flame wielding man who saved their lives from some unidentifiable creature. The details were the same: cobalt flame, wavy dark hair, light blue eyes―although sometimes they were red―and an adamant refusal of payment. He never gave his name, but Diana knew it was him. Gaius.

As she slipped out of the hostel she had spent the night at―because there was nothing stopping her now from traveling in the night or the day―Diana checked the location of Nové Zámky. Her heart stopped in her chest. That was only sixty miles away, the closest she had ever been to his next location. Unbidden, hope swelled in her chest. Perhaps he had stayed the night this time. The fight described in the blog post had sounded intense enough to be taxing, although probably not for Gaius. But using the Compass was draining, as well. 

_ I will find you. I will find you. I will find you. _

Diana shielded her eyes, squinting against the glare of the early sun on her phone screen, blind to the beautiful buildings of Budapest that surrounded her as she checked flights on her phone. Once, she might have stopped and gazed around in wonder, marveling at the architecture and culture around her. But now, all of the places she had visited seemed to blend together into one amorphous mess of memory. Everything she saw seemed gray without Gaius there beside her.

Diana swore. None of the flights from Budapest took her close enough and taking a train was too time-consuming. Her eyes scanned the pavilion and she found herself wondering if she should just start running when her eyes fell on a bunch of Vespa scooters lined up along one side of a building. A banner in Hungarian and English advertised that they were for rent.

Diana unshouldered her pack and sought out her wallet which was packed thick with bills she hadn’t spent ever since she began to forego comfort for convenience.

Her thumb flicked through the bills and she glanced up from the wad of cash to the banner.  _ Scooters for rent.  _ She drew out the stack and began to walk towards the man outside the building. She hoped this was enough to buy.

* * *

**_Nové Zámky, Slovakia, 2044_ **

An hour and a half later, Diana rode into the town square of Nové Zámky and pulled up alongside a building. She shut off the engine and pulled off her helmet, tucking it away into the compartment beneath her seat, and shouldered her backpack. Gaius’s sword peeked out from the top of it; Diana had wrapped it in thick cloth to hide what it was, but still kept it within reach just in case she needed it in a fight since she left her own sword in New York.

Diana looked around, taking in her surroundings. To her right stood a proud eggshell-colored church with a dark blue steeple that stretched high into the sky. To her left sat an odd statue-like structure that seemed to be adorned with stone priests or perhaps saints, a sparkling sun of gold topping its central pillar.

Diana wasn’t sure what to do now. She had never been so close.

She cast her senses out, even going as far as to tug on the bond although she knew it would have sparked to life if she was even remotely near Gaius. She came up empty-handed. 

With a sigh, Diana pulled out her phone and found the blog post Adrian had sent her and scrolled until she found the name of the author.  _ Katarina Pavlik.  _ Diana supposed that was a good place to start.

Diana chewed her lip as she glanced around. The town center was practically deserted. In fact, the entire area seemed devoid of life and oddly quiet. Even on her way into town, she had seen very few people. Her brow furrowed and she cast out her senses once again, this time not for Gaius, but for anyone.

She felt life―a lot of it―concentrated to her right. Diana nearly sighed in relief, the pieces clicking together as her vision fell on the church. She checked her phone. It was a Sunday; people were in Mass.

Diana tightened the straps of her pack and started for the church. She had just resolved to sit in on Mass until she could ask around for Katarina when the church’s clock tower suddenly struck twelve and the front doors banged open, a flood of finely dressed people surging out. Diana blinked, surprised by her luck, and fought down a smile. Things were going her way for once. 

Diana found an elderly woman with a wooden cane on the edge of the crowd who hobbled in her direction. Diana drew up some of her power, using it to help her translate. When she spoke, it was in flawless Slovak.

“Excuse me, could you help me find someone?”

The old woman looked Diana up and down and Diana suppressed the urge to wince. She had no idea how she looked. She wasn’t even certain how long it had been since she had last seen a mirror. God, she hoped she didn’t  _ smell _ .

Thankfully, in a voice like rough granite, the elderly woman replied in Slovak, “Who?”

“Katarina Pavlik,” Diana answered, holding up her phone, which displayed the blog post. “Do you know her?”

The woman glanced from Diana’s face to her phone. When her eyes fell on the post, her face tightened in disgust. “Bah, blasphemer!” she spat, but her malice wasn’t directed at Diana. She waved her cane towards the center of the crowd, directing Diana’s attention to a fair-skinned young woman with reddish-brown hair and dark brown eyes walking alone. “Pavlik,” the elderly woman grunted before limping away.

Oh, if there were gods, they were certainly helping Diana out now. She dove into the crowd, weaving her way towards the young lady the old woman had indicated. People swerved out of her way, whether it was because of her urgency or her appearance, Diana didn’t know. 

“Katarina?” Diana asked, resting her hand gently on the woman’s shoulder when she finally reached her. 

Katarina startled slightly, dipping away from Diana’s touch as she spun and took a step back, her dark eyes wide.

“Oh,” Diana withdrew her hand and held her palms up, facing outward. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you―”

Katarina’s brows rose and she quickly shook her head, holding up one hand as the other pointed to her ear. She mouthed,  _ Deaf. _

“Oh!” Diana blinked in surprise before nodding, using her powers to translate into Slovak Sign Language. She bit her lip, brows furrowed as she signed,  _ Are you Katarina Pavlik? _

Katarina nodded slowly, her eyes traveling up the length of Diana’s body, taking her in for the first time. She looked uncertain, but at least she didn’t look repulsed.

Diana offered her a friendly smile as she held up her phone with the blog post before signing,  _ Did you write this? _

Katarina’s face lit up like the Fourth of July and she nodded fervently. She signed back,  _ Yes, that is me. No one believes it happened. _

_ I assure you it did. _ Diana’s grin broadened and she felt tears prick the corners of her eyes.  _ Do you know where this man went? Did he say anything about where he was going? _

Katarina’s smile dimmed and she shook her head apologetically.  _ No, _ she signed. Then she tilted her head curiously.  _ Do you know him? _

Diana felt her heart sink, her face falling as she answered,  _ Yes. _

Katarina pursed her lips, eyes roaming the area as they stood there in solemn silence. Then, after a moment, her eyes lit up again and she signed,  _ Would you like to see where I met him? _

Diana’s lips parted and she nodded.  _ Yes. _ Perhaps if she saw where he had been, she could pick up his trail. And if he was still in Nové Zámky or even close―

She cut herself off. No. She would not let herself hope. Not when she had such a poor track record of finding clues in any of the other hundred towns she had visited before this.

Katarina smiled benignly and gestured with her hand for Diana to follow her. They wound through the streets of town until they eventually came across a large park, a large section of grass bordered by low buildings. Katarina led Diana to a dirt path that bisected the park and stopped about midway through. 

_ This is where it happened, _ Katarina signed excitedly.  _ I was walking home from work and several great beasts came out of the shadows. _ She pantomimed a snarling creature, her fingers curled like claws. She nodded her chin towards the right of the path as she signed,  _ They came from over there. They were made of twigs and leaves. Glowing eyes. And he _ ―she turned in the opposite direction― _ came from over there. _

Diana studied the area, her heart jumping into her throat as she noticed a burnt patch of grass at the edge of the walkway. She crouched, rubbing one of the blackened blades between her thumb and forefinger. It stained her skin with soot and Diana looked at the mark in awe. He had been here. 

_ How do you know him?  _ Katarina signed, her face curious as she watched Diana. 

Diana’s chest tightened and she fought back a frown as she replied,  _ He is a dear friend of mine. _

Katarina nodded and Diana stood, slowly walking in gradually broadening circles. There were signs of a skirmish, the evidence so slight one would not typically notice unless they knew how and where to look. A bit of flattened grass there, some upturned soil, and splintered twigs that didn’t belong to any of the surrounding trees. 

_ Your friend, _ Katarina signed,  _ is very brave. I owe him my life. _

Diana nodded solemnly in agreement. _ Me too. _

After several long minutes had passed, Diana was about to give up and accept that there was nothing left when she felt it, the barest of tingles―just a whisper of sensation―as she neared the edge of the park where it gave way to concrete sidewalk and squat brick buildings. 

She gasped, heart racing.  _ Gaius. _ She would know his presence anywhere. 

Without hesitation, she took off at a sprint, running in the direction where his signature was most potent. It led her down the sidewalk and across the street, still faint but growing stronger. There was a hint of something else that was also familiar and ancient, although she couldn’t quite place it. Diana turned down an alleyway, her heart in her throat and stomach in knots. This was the first lead she had picked up in two whole years. 

She couldn’t hope―no, she didn’t dare. If Gaius was here―oh _ hell _ , what would she even say? Diana had been so focused on finding him, she barely let herself consider what she would do when she did. Just the thought of seeing him made her legs quiver, threatening to send her sprawled across the asphalt. But she didn’t dare falter, not as the presence grew stronger and stronger still, and―

Diana felt like she had collided with a brick wall.

She skidded to a halt, nearly toppling over with her abrupt change in momentum. Her chest heaved, but not with exertion or excitement.

The trail had gone cold.

Diana backed up a few paces and the hair on the back of her neck prickled. She stepped forward. Nothing.

Forward and back, she kept alternating directions, sensing Gaius’s presence and then sensing nothing. Her heart plummeted, her throat tightening. He had been here. And he had left. This was the last place he had been before using the Compass to whisk himself away. 

Diana stumbled back against the brick wall that bordered the alleyway, her hand over her chest. She felt as if she had been kicked in the gut, her whole body growing numb. She was falling, falling, falling down into that pit of disappointment and despair.

_ What did you expect?  _ she chided herself harshly.  _ Every other place has ended in the same result. _

“Just have to… keep searching,” Diana whispered to herself, trying to gather up her strength even as the backs of her eyes burned. She bit down hard on her lip to keep it from trembling. She knew she shouldn’t have let herself hope, knew it was ridiculous… 

Perhaps all of this was hopeless. Perhaps she would never find Gaius, even if she didn’t have the threat of Demetrius weighing down on her shoulders. Perhaps she would search for an eternity and still never find him.

And perhaps that was what she deserved. She had sent him away, after all. Diana had rejected the one she was fated to be with and as punishment, she was now fated to be alone.

_ I will find you,  _ she repeated in her head, tugging uselessly on the bond.  _ I will find you. _

Her vision blurred. Great. And now she was crying. 

Diana heard heavy footsteps and quickly wiped at her eyes with her sleeve, sucking in a deep breath and pushing away from the wall just as Katarina turned down the alleyway, panting hard. Upon seeing Diana, she slowed to a halt and doubled over, her hands on her knees as she caught her breath.

When she finally straightened, she signed,  _ Did you find― _

Her hand fell to her side as she took in Diana’s crestfallen expression and reddened eyes. Katarina’s lips formed an “O” and then pulled into a pitying frown. Diana didn’t need her powers to read the words in the other woman’s eyes.  _ I’m sorry. _

Diana gave Katarina a sad smile and nodded before retreating the way she came. As she passed the Slovakian woman, Diana squeezed her shoulder and spoke into her mind.  _ Thank you. _

Katarina startled and Diana briefly caught the expression of surprise and wonder before she continued on, journeying back towards the town center. Every step was heavy, her body made of lead. She felt like she was Atlas, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. In a way, she supposed she was. The Tree’s influence was spreading and it was up to her to stop it, but she had no idea how. But even heavier than that was her grief, her regret, for letting something so good slip through her fingers. 

Diana had just reached her Vespa and pulled out her helmet when she realized she had no idea where to go. She had never found Gaius’s trail and its end so quickly before because every time she got to the location where he was last reported to be seen, his presence had faded like smoke on the wind. She stared down at her helmet, barely glimpsing her own reflection in its shiny surface. She hardly even recognized the woman staring back at her.

Diana bit her cheek. Perhaps it was time to go home.

Something tugged at the edge of her consciousness and Diana whipped her head up, her whole body immediately on high alert. The town square had emptied again; there was not a single soul in sight. Diana’s eyes narrowed as she surveyed the area. There was someone or  _ something _ else here… She felt it in her gut.

Diana sucked in a sharp breath as her eyes met two silver ones, glowing from the shadows of a nearby building. Diana watched as the darkness took shape, coalescing into the form of a wolf-like creature. The Black Shuck.

It cocked its head at her and Diana felt their minds bridge once again. When she sensed its intent, she noticed that this time, it wasn’t here to protect her. No, it had another purpose. 

_ Come, _ it seemed to say. Diana hesitated, glancing around, but the pavilion was as silent as ever. She tucked her helmet back into the Vespa compartment and cautiously approached the Shuck. As she came closer, it anxiously shifted its front paws as if it was growing impatient. The moment Diana was in reach, it lunged forward, teeth gnashing. She flinched back on instinct, but her response had not come quick enough. Diana watched in shock as its maw painlessly clamped down on her wrist and yanked her forward into the shadows.

* * *

**_Somewhere, 2044_ **

When Diana caught herself, she realized she was no longer in Nové Zámky. She wasn’t even sure she was in Slovakia anymore. Diana stood in the middle of a wheat field, stalks of grain swaying around her waist.

“What the hell…” she breathed, taking in the rolling hills and the blue sky. There was no sign of civilization anywhere she looked. No buildings, no roads, no telephone poles. “Where―?”

Something tugged on her arm. Diana glanced down, her eyes settling on the Black Shuck, whose body was much more faint, neatly transparent in the bright light. It yanked on her arm again and Diana realized she didn’t feel any pain although her wrist was in its mouth. She met its luminous eyes as it anxiously pawed at the ground and Diana saw its silent order.  _ Run.  _

The moment the Shuck sensed her understanding, it took off, pulling her along with it as it raced towards a distant oaktree. Diana had no choice but to keep up lest she faceplant in the dirt. She allowed the shadow hound to lead her across the field, stalks of wheat whipping at her legs. Diana had no idea where it was leading her―there was nothing in sight for miles beside golden fields and scattered trees. However, she soon found her answer when they crossed into the shadow of the oak. Beside her, the Black Shuck’s form solidified and it urged her faster, faster, faster until―

There was a whooshing sound and as Diana took a bounding step forward, her foot left the solid dirt of the grain field and landed in shallow water. Diana gasped as the world around her changed in a split second. The fields gave way to a sparkling blue lake surrounded by tall pine trees. In the distance, majestic mountains stood tall, their peaks shrouded in mist and clouds. 

She and the Black Shuck had… transported. They were now running along a lake, fine pebbles shifting underfoot as crystal clear water splashed around them. If the Shuck, whose body was now faint once again, had any concerns about getting wet, it didn’t show it. What the  _ hell  _ was going on?

Diana wracked her brain for any information she had on the Black Shuck as it urged her towards the forest that bordered the lake. They ran onto the gravel bank, rocks crunching as they surged forward. 

_ Shucks are said to be malicious omens of death, _ Gaius had said once.  _ Although there are many accounts of them being companionable creatures, especially to maidens and lost travelers.  _

Well, that was her. This one was helping her, taking her somewhere. But  _ where? _

“Where are you taking me?” Diana asked as they entered the shadows once again. When they emerged, they were on a bridge crowded with people. She hurled her body to the side to avoid crashing into an innocent bystander and onlookers shouted in surprise and annoyance as she went hurtling by. Diana glanced around, taking in the massive river they ran above and the grand buildings that bordered it and―Was that  _ Big Ben? _ And the London Eye?

Diana gasped as she realized she was sprinting down the Westminster Bridge in the middle of London with a dog made of shadows. 

She pumped her legs faster, this time helping the Black Shuck get to the next patch of shadows formed by a statue at the end of the bridge. The sooner they got there, the sooner they would be out of here and out of sight. 

As they reached the shadows and were transported somewhere else, Diana sensed the Black Shuck’s response in her mind.  _ Home. _

Diana faltered, not even taking note of the new scenery around them as she gasped, “New York?”

She was met with a wave of disapproval that she took as a no.  _ Home, _ it seemed to repeat more insistently, yanking on her arm and spurring her into motion. This time, however, the Shuck’s answer was accompanied by a sharp tug on the edge of her mind. Although that wasn’t the Black Shuck’s doing. 

It was the bond. 

A sob burst forth from Diana’s lips and she picked up her pace, sprinting alongside the shadow hound, the world around them becoming nothing more than a blur as they raced for the darkness to make their next jump. 

_ Home, _ she thought elatedly, her heart soaring with unrestrained glee, because now she understood the Shuck’s intentions. Home for Diana was not the concrete jungle of New York City or her sparsely decorated single-bedroom apartment.

Two years ago, home for Diana had been gardening in the moonlight with Kamilah, training with Jax in the studio, resting peacefully in bed with Adrian. And now, although Diana kept all of those memories close to her heart, they no longer held the same weight they once did. Now, home was a pair of cunning blue eyes, clever hands, and a wicked mind. Home was a headful of dark brown curls, tan skin, and a crooked smile. Home was Gaius Augustine, the man who had once been her enemy, had become her dearest friend, and was now her greatest love.

And she was racing towards him.

_ I will find you,  _ she promised, and this time, she felt the echo of a response. Distant surprise and a gentle caress.

Countless landmarks and habitats whipped by in a blur as Diana and the Black Shuck hurtled through sunlight and shadows, each jump taking them a shorter distance than the last. Diana wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Her lungs were burning and she called upon every bit of her strength and power to keep her aching limbs moving. Only the sun could mark the passage of time and Diana kept an eye on it as it sunk lower and lower from its apex in the sky, dipping towards the horizon.

Diana watched the burning sun meet a rolling hill and then the deep blue sea as they emerged through the shadows, jumping once again. Diana’s feet sank into the sand but she continued forward, carried by her momentum when suddenly, she was yanked back, forced into a halt.

Breathing hard, Diana glanced back at the Black Shuck with her eyebrows raised. The shadow hound was barely more than a faint apparition, the magic that held it together weak after so much traveling. Diana was about to sit down and give the Shuck time to rest and recover when it released her wrist from its mouth and nudged her hand, directing her attention to some spot further down the beach. Diana followed its line of sight and gasped, her knees threatening to buckle. 

The Shuck had not stopped to rest. It had stopped because… they were here. 

Where brush met sand, a small white cottage with a wooden roof sat on the beach, its small square windows set to overlook the sea. Wildflowers bloomed all around the small house, swaying gently in the salty breeze. The waves lapped at the shore, the sound at once calming and beckoning. Part of Diana wanted to hurl herself into the ocean, the other wanted to move forward.

_ But I’ve been told the call of the sea is rather irresistible for the seafaring folk. _

“Is that…?” Diana breathed, unable to even finish the thought. Her voice quivered with uncertainty and hope. The Black Shuck’s luminous eyes met hers, then it continued down the beach. It nudged her hand with its snout as it passed and Diana let her palm rest against its back, feeling the barest sensation of fur between her fingers as she walked beside it towards the cottage. 

The steps of the wooden porch creaked beneath her feet as she ascended them, then paused before the front door. Diana raised her hand to knock, but the door swung open on its own accord beneath her knuckles. She glanced down at the Shuck for confirmation, but it merely looked at her, waiting. Diana took a deep breath, then entered the house. 

The house was empty. There was only one room. To her right, there was a small kitchen made up of only a stove, a refrigerator, a sink, and a few cabinets. To her left was a single worn couch and a coffee table. Against the far wall sat an unmade bed next to a fireplace. Across from her was a door Diana assumed led to a bathroom. The cottage was simple. Peaceful. 

Although the furniture did not reveal much about who lived here, Diana had no doubt. She could feel his presence everywhere. Her fingertips brushed along the doorframe and she could see him entering through it every dawn, tired but fulfilled after a long night of fighting of foul creatures. This was a place of solace, of rest and relaxation. This place belonged to Gaius.

Diana turned back towards the open door and saw only the sparkling sea and the saturated sunset beyond. The Black Shuck had disappeared, its purpose here fulfilled. 

“Thank you,” she whispered and closed the door, hoping it could hear her. 

Diana took a few more turns around the room in wonder, coming to terms with the fact that this was where Gaius had been for the last two years. He may have been all over the entire continent of Europe, but this small cottage was where he returned every morning. Diana wondered if she had just missed him and he had already left for the night. She was about to sit down on the couch, content to wait until he returned when there was a bright flash outside and the sound of sand shifting.

Instantly, the bond flared to life.

Diana’s legs shook and she heard a sharp intake of breath through the thin cottage walls. Then, the door opened.

“Diana,” he breathed, his blue eyes meeting hers.

Diana’s knees hit the wooden floor as she covered her mouth, shoulders shaking in disbelief. The bags in his hands dropped, their contents scattering across the front porch as he rushed to meet her on the ground, enveloping her in his warm embrace. Diana melted into him, crying tears of joy as she whispered into the shallow space between them. “Gaius.”

She was home.


	23. Chapter 22: Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really just.... not safe for work.  
> If that's not your kind of thing, I recommend stopping after "No secrets." It picks back up again after "Later, when they..."

**_Caherdaniel, Ireland 2044_ **

“So this is where you have been all of this time?” Diana asked. She sat on the worn couch, her fingertips twisting in the wool fabric of the blanket Gaius had offered her when she wouldn’t stop trembling, even after he had ignited the fireplace. Gaius stood across from her, leaning against the wall with his arms folded and ankles crossed, his gaze intent on hers.

So much of him was the same, yet so much had changed. His wavy dark hair still fell just below his chin, one brow slightly arched. But he was more… reserved, his body leaning away from her rather than towards. This was more like the Gaius of Aosta, who had not yet known what to think of her, to think of them. Diana knew that was fair, but it still stung a little.

“Yes,” he replied, nodding slowly. His eyes traveled over her, assessing. For a moment, she saw concern flash there, but he quickly smothered it. He opened his mouth, then paused, hesitating for a moment. “I wanted to settle somewhere near the ocean.”

They had not yet actively used the bond, but Diana could hear the words he left unsaid. _ It reminded me of you. _

Her eyes traveled around the cottage even though she had already committed every bit of it to memory. “And you… used the Compass to travel around?” 

“Oh.” His brow furrowed, expression unreadable as he drew the golden chain over his head, pulling amulet out from beneath his shirt. “Yes. I assume that’s what you came here for―”

“No!” Diana said quickly, sitting up straighter, and Gaius’s brows lifted. Diana felt her cheeks heat and she lowered her voice. “I mean yes, but… I was looking for you, Gaius. Amulet or no. I’ve been searching for you for two years. Ever since―” She fought against the tightness in her throat to speak. “Ever since I told you to leave.”

Gaius paled and Diana thought for a moment he was going to be sick. She felt her own stomach twist into knots as a hush fell between them. She watched his gaze fall to the floor, avoiding her attention. When he had first seen her, he had embraced her, a dizzying mix of relief and joy and confusion traversing the bond in both directions. 

But when the shock had worn off, he had been the first to pull away, dragging a blanket over her shoulders as he went. She saw the shift in his demeanor as he raised his walls and regained his composure. Diana couldn’t blame him for wanting space from her and needing time to process her sudden appearance, not when his last memories of her were so… awful.

Diana had not known what to expect when she finally found him―throughout her search, she had barely let herself consider the event lest she get her hopes up too much. When she did allow herself to wonder, however, she sometimes believed he would turn her away in disgust or even yell at her in anger. In her more wistful daydreams, he would kiss her and say something ridiculous like, “I knew you would find me,” even though she knew that was not in his nature.

But of all the things she had believed to be in the realm of possibility, she did not consider that their reunion would consist of so much silence. At long last, Gaius replied in a voice that reminded Diana of an old wind sifting through a meadow, “I did not know that.”

Diana offered him a sad smile and shook her head. “You couldn’t have.”

Gaius blinked at her, his face tight. Every inch of his body was tight with tension, like a coil waiting to be sprung, but he stayed where he was against the wall, holding the line against her. “Why?”

Diana felt so small and fragile as she answered, “Because I am bound to you.”

His brows lowered, a muscle in his jaw feathering. When he spoke, there was a slight edge. “You don’t want to be.”

“I do,” she insisted. “I did, even then. I just… didn’t know it.”

“You said it yourself that you weren’t sure if your feelings were genuine or the product of fate.” Gaius straightened, his arms unfolding from his chest, the golden amulet that was still clenched in his fist swung with the motion, sparkling in the low firelight. He tossed it on the couch beside Diana, its pale green stone glinting dully. “I do not hold you to anything, Diana. You do not have to tie yourself to me for my sake or because fate wills it to be. I accepted that a long time ago. Even if the gods―”

“Gaius, I love you.”

He broke off midsentence, his lips parting. “You… What?”

Diana’s hands fisted in the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She tilted her chin up, proud and certain as she looked into his eyes, her attention unwavering. “I love you. Truly, Gaius. Not because of the bond. Not because of fate. I love you because I know you.”

He looked stricken. He shook his head, voice little more than a hoarse rasp. “Diana…”

“I wanted to tell you that the night you left. Back on the rooftop,” she confessed, her heart in her throat and nerves alight with terror, but she forced herself to hold his gaze, to make him believe that every word she spoke was true. “I don’t know when it happened―maybe I had loved you all along. But that was when I knew for sure.” 

There it was, all laid out before them. She had never felt so exposed, so vulnerable, but Diana left herself bare for him as she waited, unflinching, for his response. His decision. Gaius could turn her away now and she would go, just as he had when she asked. Yes, she had spent two years searching for him, but Diana would have been content with just seeing him one last time. 

Gaius whispered, “You are certain?”

Diana stood, letting the blanket fall from her shoulders onto the couch cushions as she stepped around the coffee table and made her way to him with slow, careful steps. She gave him time to reject her advances if he wanted to, just as he had always done for her. Diana stopped before him and looked up at his face, marveling at the features she loved so dearly. With her thumb, she gently smoothed out the crease between his brows and he leaned ever so slightly into her touch. He was barely breathing as she replied, “More than anything.”

Something shifted in his gaze. Diana saw wonder, disbelief, and something much warmer that made her heart flutter in her chest. 

“You love me,” he murmured. It wasn’t a question but she nodded, anyway.

“There is no one else. I have crossed entire oceans, mountain ranges, rivers, and prairies to find you,” Diana admitted, her fingertips brushing across his soft cheek. Oh, how long she had thought of doing that. Her memories were not nearly as good as the real thing. “And I would do it all over again just to tell you that I do.”

“And we are bound,” Gaius said softly.

“Forever,” Diana confirmed, withdrawing her hand. “If you’ll have me.”

Just then, his face split into the most beautiful, unrestrained smile. Diana felt her heart falter. It was like staring into the sun, so bright and blinding. And she would willingly throw herself into this light. 

Gaius caught her retreating fingers, the contact pealing through the bond like temple bells on a glorious sunlit day. He drew her in, his free hand gently resting against the small of her back as their foreheads met, breath mingling in the space between them. Diana felt lightheaded, dizzy with the sheer relief of just being in the same space as him, not to mention in his arms. 

“I’ll have you, _ diviana, _ ” he promised, squeezing her hand as his eyes searched hers. “For an eternity, and not a single second less.”

And when he kissed her, she believed it.

“I missed you,” she whispered against his lips. She kissed him again, her fingertips trembling as she laid them on his chest, as if even her body had not believed it would ever find his again. “So much.”

Gaius drew back a fraction, his thumb swiping across her jaw as he studied her face. It was only when he pressed his lips to her cheeks that she realized they were wet with tears. “You’re here now,” he murmured, nuzzling the side of her neck as he wrapped his arms around her. “That’s all that matters.”

“Gaius, I need to apologize―”

“Later,” he insisted, kissing her shoulder.

She gripped his upper arm, urging him to pay attention. As happy as she was to be here with him, they needed to have this conversation. She wasn’t going to make the same mistakes she had with Adrian. “I am so sorry―”

“I know you are,” Gaius said, lifting his head. His hand slid behind her neck, fingers tangling in her hair. Diana’s heart jumped as she heard his voice in her mind.  _ I can feel it. And I am sorry, too. For not telling you sooner. But I think that you and I have both punished ourselves enough for it these last two years. _

Diana nodded. He was right. Her hands smoothed out the fabric stretched across his chest as she searched his eyes. “From now on we talk about things. No secrets.”

“No secrets,” he agreed, taking one of her hands and pressing his lips to the back of her knuckles. Diana’s pulse fluttered as he turned her hand over to kiss the inside of her wrist, then the middle of her forearm, the inside of her elbow. His touch was innocent enough, but already Diana felt warmth pool in her stomach. 

“Gaius,” she warned, pulling her arm away. But he was not so easily discouraged. He kissed along her neck, his hot breath tickling her ear. “Gaius, I spent all day running. And I’ve been sleeping in hostels.”

“And?” His voice was a low purr that sent shivers down her spine.

Diana swallowed hard as his lips traveled along the collar of her shirt. “And I need a shower. Desperately.”

His palm flattened against the curve of her spine, pressing her body to the contours and hard edges of his. “Later.”

Her fingertips dug into his shoulder. “Gaius.”

He huffed, drawing back a fraction of an inch. He raised a brow and Diana felt her breath catch at the predatory gleam in his eyes as he tilted his head. “Do you think I care about a little dirt,  _ diviana? _ ”

Gaius leaned in and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to her collarbone before running his tongue up the column of her neck, tasting skin and sweat. When he spoke again, his voice was husky, rough in a way Diana had never heard from him before, even in Zermatt. “I have thought about this moment―of you―every single night. Two years alone in this cottage have given me more than enough time to think of all the things I did with you before New York.” He nipped at her ear as his hands traveled up her sides. “All of the things I  _ want _ to do with you now. A little sweat and grime isn’t going to stop me from being with the woman I love.”

Diana bit down hard on her lip at that, pressing her thighs together. “You love me?”

“You know that I do.”

She felt like she was on fire, burning like a falling star as she breathed, “Tell me what you dreamed of.”

Gaius used his elbow to push away from the wall, his knees nudging hers towards the bed. “I would rather show you.”

Diana held her ground, nails digging into his shoulder as she pushed him back, holding him to the cottage wall. His brows lifted in surprise, then amusement, his eyes glittering and lips pulling into a smirk. Diana kissed the upturned corner of his lip, then brought her mouth to his ear. “I want you to tell me, love, what you want. I told you once that with me, you’re going to get as well as you give. I have no plans of going back on that promise now.”

Gaius shuddered beneath her and Diana’s lips pulled into a feline grin as he met her gaze. He brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek, then took her jaw in his hand, running his thumb across her bottom lip. Diana nipped at his finger before she leaned forward, taking into her mouth. She watched Gaius’s pupils blow wide as she swirled her tongue around his thumb.

He huffed out a startled laugh. “You’re a nightmare,  _ diviana. _ ”

She hummed and cast her thoughts down the bond.  _ Tell me. _

Diana watched the color rise in his cheeks and his Adam’s apple dipped as he shared one of his fantasies with her through the bond. Diana released his thumb and raised her brow. Then she grinned and kissed him fiercely, quickly, pulling away before he could draw her in. She planted a kiss sweet enough to rot teeth on his cheek before murmuring, “I can do that.”

Diana tugged at the edge of his shirt and that clever mouth of his drew into another smirk before he pulled it over his head and tossed it carelessly on the couch, his hands settling along Diana’s spine as she kissed along his chest, the muscles in his stomach jumping when she brushed over them.

She made quick work of the button of his pants, unfastening the zipper and plunging her hand beneath the waistband of his briefs with little fanfare. Her fingers wrapped around his cock, already half-hard in her palm and he swore, his head falling back against the wall. Diana chuckled softly, pecking the base of his throat as she stroked him once, twice, and then pulled him out of his pants at the same time she lowered herself to her knees. 

The mere sight of him makes her mouth go dry and her core clench. Diana had seen it before but in their time apart, she had forgotten how breathtaking even his cock was, standing tall and flushed, curving slightly towards his stomach. She traced her fingers lightly along his shaft before closing her fist around him, her thumb swiping over the head.

_ Don’t tease,  _ he snapped and Diana fought to suppress a smirk. If he thought that this was teasing…

Nevertheless, she leaned in, pressing a chaste kiss to the tip just to see his abdomen clench and hear her name fall from his lips like a song of devotion. Then she took him into her mouth, flattening her tongue against him as she hollowed out her cheeks. 

Diana heard him emit an unsteady groan as he met the back of her throat. She looked up, and oh, what a  _ vision _ he was, with his eyes closed in bliss, long lashes fanned out across curve of his cheeks, lips parted, and skin tinted a beautiful rose color Diana had only ever seen in the most breathtaking of sunrises. 

As Diana bobbed her head to a newfound rhythm, she laid her hand atop his leg, rubbing soothing circles through his jeans into the meat of his thigh with her thumb. There was a slight tremor on his hands as they sifted through her hair, fingers tangling in her long dark strands. The sounds he made were the loveliest Diana had ever heard, and even lovelier still as she lightly grazed her teeth along his sensitive skin.

There was an audible thunk as Gaius’s head hit the wall behind him and Diana relented, running her tongue along his length. Gaius looked down at her, his expression tender and eyes hazy as he reached down and skimmed the back of his knuckles along her cheek. Then, before Diana could continue, he seized her by the shoulders and hefted her up, kissing her desperately, passionately, as he backed her towards the bed.

“Had enough already?” she chuckled as the back of her knees hit the frame of his bed and she fell onto the mattress. Gaius crawled over her, tugging at her ratty t-shirt as he kissed along her neck, nipping and biting the tender skin.

“There are too many things I want to do with you to let it end there,” he murmured into her ear as Diana drew her shirt over her head and dropped it over the side of the bed. His hand skimmed across her stomach, cupping her breast through her sports bra and squeezing gently. Diana arched into his touch, pressing her chest into his touch as she sighed, her fingers tangling themselves into the hair at the nape of his neck.

“What’s the rush?” she breathed, her heart pounding. “We have an eternity.”

Or at least she hoped they would.

As if Gaius heard her thoughts, he looked up, meeting her eyes, his gaze serious. “We will. I swear to you, we’ll have our time, Diana. I’ll make sure of it.”

Diana something inside her soften. She reached up, gently brushing away a lock of hair that had fallen into his eyes. “I love you.”

He smiled and pressed his lips to hers for a long, deep kiss. “I love you, too,  _ diviana. _ More than anything.”

Before things could get too sappy or slow down, Gaius slid his palm down the length of her body, popping open the button of her jeans when she angled her hips towards his. Evidently unable to wait long enough to get her pants off, Gaius slipped his hand beneath the waistband of her underwear, fingers sliding along her slick folds with ease. He swore and Diana moaned, her breath hitching as the pads of his fingers circled her clit, the flesh of her arms erupting into goosebumps. She felt like a live wire, hyperactive to every single thing he did.

“I can still remember,” he murmured, his breath ghosting over her ear. “The lovely sounds you make, how good you feel, the way you taste.” He withdrew his touch and Diana keened, her hips lifting in a desperate attempt to chase his hand. Her mind went wonderfully blank as she watched him hold his fingers between them, glistening and coated in her slick, before he placed them on his tongue, sinful lips closing around them. 

When he pulled his fingers from his mouth, he gave her a wicked grin, his tongue swiping over his bottom lip to catch every bit of her essence. “Exquisite.”

Oh, he would be the death of her. That much was certain.

Diana hooked her fingers into the belt loops of his pants and yanked, demanding, “Take them off.”

His answering chuckle was low and rough and Diana felt herself throb in response as he whispered, “Yes, Your Highness.”

He drew back and quickly shucked off his pants and briefs, exposing his sculpted calves and powerful thighs. Diana couldn’t help but think that if she hadn’t believed in the gods before this whole mess, she certainly did now. 

The man before her was living proof, blessed by the heavens. Sometimes, when she looked at or thought of him, his silken locks, high cheekbones, and full lips, it was easy to reconcile his image with that of a prince or even a fallen angel. But when he was bare before her like this, body guilded by the firelight and eyes burning just as bright, Diana remembered that  _ this _ was the Second Son, a battle-hardened warrior and cunning military strategist. 

Even when they had been intimate back in Zermatt, it had never been like this. Each moment had been soft and tentative, every action limited by the knowledge that it would eventually come to an end or burdened by doubts of what they deserved. Diana had not realized until how much Gaius had been drowning in her, holding back and unwilling to take what he wanted. 

Something had happened―had grown in him in the last two years. All of the development that had occurred over the last two decades was still there, an indestructible foundation. But he was also a little more like his old self: confident, self-assured, unyielding, and as savage as he was chivalrous. 

_ This _ was Gaius’s true self, without anyone else hovering over him to subvert his development, not even Diana. Somewhere along the way, he had found himself, and Diana couldn’t have been more overjoyed. This was  _ Gaius, _ whole, perfect, and free. 

Diana reached up to pull him back to her but he leaned away, curling his fingers into the waistband of her pants and pulling them down her legs, leaving her in her undergarments. She was about to take care of her underwear herself when Gaius settled himself between her knees, fitting her legs over his bare shoulders. 

She felt his hot breath, not on her skin but against her lingerie, that thin piece of fabric already soaked through. Diana shuddered as he flattened his tongue against her sex, the sensation tantalizing but agonizingly muted by the strip of cotton that separated her skin from his. Gaius chuckled, nipping at her thigh before his mouth closed over her in an obscene kiss, tongue laving over any evidence of her arousal that had seeped through the cotton as Diana’s toes curled.

She could do nothing but watch, transfixed as he licked and teased at the edge of her underwear, occasionally drawing back to bite along her inner thighs, leaving glistening red marks in his wake. His nose nudged the hem of her underwear aside, tongue darting out to trace the outer edge of her sex before retreating. 

_ Don’t tease, _ Diana hissed in his mind, echoing his own sentiments when she had been the one on her knees before him. 

_ Let me. I have thought far too long about this, _ he replied, his blue eyes meeting hers as he reached up with one hand, yanking on the edge of her sports bra. Diana huffed, untwisting her fist from the sheets beneath to cover his wrist, fingertips tracing the back of his hand before she tugged bra over her head, freeing her breasts for his touch. When his palm closed over her bare skin, Gaius hummed in approval, sending vibrations through her core. His thumb circled her pert nipple as he closed his mouth around her once again, sucking hard on her swollen clit, the fabric between them so soaked, it was hardly there at all.

“Gaius, take them  _ off,” _ Diana gasped, her head falling back against the mattress as her fingers wound themselves into his hair, tugging sharply to emphasize her impatience.

He huffed against her, hot breath washing over her sex.  _ As you wish. _

When he pulled back slightly, Diana saw that his fangs had poked through. His eyes were still their steady blue, hinting at his carefully kept restraint, although Diana caught a mischievous gleam in them. His fangs severed the fabric of her underwear twice, once at each side of her hips, just barely skimming her skin. Diana tugged on his hair in disapproval and he shot her a grin that was not at all apologetic.

_ We’ll get you new ones.  _

He pinched the front of her underwear and pulled the fabric slowly, splitting her folds and dragging it over her core. Unable to stop herself, Diana arched her back, a desperate sound leaving her lips as the fabric _ just kept going _ . She was so sensitive from his ministrations and the fact that this was the first time she had even been touched in two years.

_ That is never going to happen again, _ Gaius promised, sensing her thoughts as he rolled her other nipple now between his thumb and forefinger. When the fabric had finally run out, he flung it aside, tossing it on the floor with the rest of their clothes. 

Diana shivered, the cool air of the cottage caressing her exposed sex. She fought down another shudder as she took in the way Gaius was looking at her, his cheeks flushed and chest heaving, like a wolf staring down its prey.

Diana thanked her lucky stars for guiding her here. 

Gaius’s eyes met hers as he lowered his mouth to her sex, his tongue sliding through her folds with ease before flattening against her clit in maddeningly slow strokes. Diana cried out, her body tensing and knees clamping together―but then Gaius’s hands were there, prying her thighs apart, lifting them off his shoulders and pinning them to the mattress.

Diana had no idea what awful noises she was making. It was impossible to even make sense of her own thoughts as his tongue curled around her, dipped into her, and his fingers brushed tantalizingly across her breasts. She fought for breath, her fingers twisting into his hair, and she watched his hips cant forward, pressing himself into the mattress for friction. He muffled a grunt against her and Diana gasped, thrusting her hips up to meet his lips. 

“Gaius, I―”

Before she could finish, he withdrew, leaving her trembling and bereft. She croaked her displeasure, swearing something vicious that made him bark with laughter. He looped his arm beneath the small of her back and kissed her softly, his mouth tasting of her own arousal. “Easy,  _ diviana, _ ” he murmured, pressing his lips to her jaw as he shifted between her legs. “I’m not done with you yet.”

His hand gripped her leg, fingers digging into the meat of her thigh as he hefted it against his waist, her ankle skimming the dip in his spine. The fingers of his other hand skimmed over her chest, trailing along the column of her neck before sliding into her hair, cradling the back of her head as his forearm held him up over her. His forehead kissed hers as he whispered, “I love you.”

Diana could only moan in response as he shifted his hips forward and thrust into her, sliding home. It was a tight fit, the friction burning through Diana in the most delicious way. She gasped, her blunt nails digging into his shoulder and dragging down his back, muscles flexing beneath her touch as he rolled his hips against her. 

Gaius swore, his breath fanning across her neck. “Incredible,” he panted, voice hoarse. “You feel so good.”

“Been a while,” she huffed, her eyes fluttering shut as he moved within her, her hands roaming across his bare skin. She was on Cloud Nine, her heart so full as she tried to accept that she was truly here―with him―and they were together at last.

“Far too long,” Gaius mumbled as he thrust into her again, pausing to grind his hips against her, the pressure perfect against her clit. Diana moaned again and this time Gaius joined her as she clenched around him like a vice. He nipped at her shoulder and then kissed it, tongue sliding over the mark he left before it disappeared. “Good?”

“Perfect,” Diana hummed, her fingers trailing along the nape of his neck as she bucked up against him. Gaius kissed her deeply, desperately, their hot breath mingling in the space between them, and Diana groaned into his mouth. 

The hedonistic pace of his thrusts, languid but unrelenting, the rough grind, and the burning friction―all of it brought Diana higher, closer to that edge, and making her so incredibly aware of her body, the way it moved against his in perfect unison, as if it had been made to do so. Heat pooled in her core like molten metal, tension seizing her thighs as she ran her hands along his spine, his sides, fingertips brushing over every bit of his warm skin that she could reach. 

Diana was so close, precariously teetering along that edge. She bit down hard on her lip as she saw stars, trying to withstand the tide that threatened to pull her under. She wanted to hold on, to make sure he was right there with her when she succumbed to his touch.

She tightened her legs around him and pulled him flush against the cradle of her hips, wanting― _ needing _ him to be as close as possible as she slanted her mouth over his, swallowing his groan, tasting the remnants of herself on his tongue.

“I love you,” she murmured against his temple when he pulled away. “You’re everything. You are so good, Gaius. So good to me and to,  _ oh, _ to the world. You are my greatest love and I am so glad to be bound to you.  _ Oh _ ―”

Her fingers gripped the back of his neck as she moaned, starting to unravel, and Gaius shuddered, gasping, barely choking out. “Diana―”

And then they were falling, tumbling over the edge―gasping, sputtering, shuddering as they came, ecstasy draining them dry. Diana held him close, her mouth locked with his as he thrusted once, then twice more, drawing out their pleasure before the tension dissipated and he relaxed against her. 

Later, when they had cleaned up a bit a rearranged themselves to rest beneath the sheets, Diana looked down at him, propped up on her elbow as her fingers trailed across his chest. Gaius watched her, his gaze thoughtful as he trailed his hand along her spine, winding strands of her hair around his forefinger.

“I’ve never seen your hair so long,” he murmured, his face lit by the warm glow of the fireplace.

She blinked, glancing down at one of the locks that fell over her shoulder. “Oh. Yeah. I need to get a haircut. I haven’t really paid much attention to it lately.”

“Hmm,” he hummed, wrapping a coil around his finger, then letting it go. “I like it at this length. But I also liked it when it was shorter.”

She rolled her eyes and nudged his shoulder. “You would like it at any length.”

“You aren’t wrong,” he admitted, tilting his head as his eyes roamed over her face. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

Diana felt her cheeks flush and she leaned in, quickly pecking him on the lips. “Well, then I suppose we make a rather stunning couple because you are by far the prettiest man I have ever seen.”

He huffed a laugh. “I don’t think anyone has ever called me ‘pretty’ before.”

“No? Well, they should,” she teased, absently brushing a strand of his hair away from his forehead. “What are you used to? Handsome? Stunning? Magnificent?”

Gaius took her hand and held it against his chest, eyes narrowing playfully. “Flatterer.”

“I am only speaking the truth,” she shrugged innocently and he rolled his eyes, his fingers resuming their path along her bare back, gaze growing pensive once again.

After a moment had passed, Diana tilted her head, drumming a finger against his collarbone. “Penny for your thoughts?”

“I just… didn’t think I would ever have this, again,” Gaius confessed, the slightest of creases forming between his brows as he looked at her. “A home. Peace. Happiness.” His cheeks turned rosy. “Love. It was all I had ever wanted.”

“It’s yours, Gaius,” Diana whispered as his hand slid up to cup her cheek. “All of it. We’ll make sure it stays that way.” She turned her face into his hand, kissing his palm. “ _ I _ am yours.”

“Mine, hm?” A smile bloomed on his lips, so soft it stole her breath away. “You already know that I am yours.” He tilted his head and his hand settled upon the back of her neck, thumb brushing behind her ear. “What shall I call you, then?”

Diana raised a brow. “Call me?”

“If I recall, you certainly did not like ‘my flower.’” Gaius shook his head, eyes assessing her. “No, you need something grander. Not ‘my Queen.’ Certainly not ‘my Goddess.’” His lips twisted for a moment before lapsing into a teasing smile. “What about ‘my World?’”

She scrunched up her nose. “None of that. It sounds like you worship me.”

“Ah, but I do, my dear,” he quipped, leaning up to kiss her collarbone. “I would fall to my knees at your feet if you asked me to.”

“Gaius.” She grabbed his chin, angling his face towards his. “I mean it. We are equals, you and I. No fancy titles.”

He huffed but she caught something in his eyes soften, his lips curving ever-so-slightly with the hint of a smile as he kissed one of her fingertips. “Fine. No fancy titles,” he agreed. “But I would like to call you something.” He pressed his lips to the inside of her wrist. “How do you like… ‘my love?’”

It was so simple and greatly understated all that they were to each other, but nonetheless, Diana felt her heart flutter against her ribs like a nightingale ready to take flight. “That’ll do.”

“Perfect,” he smiled, dropping her hand and surging up to kiss her once more. As he shifted their bodies so that she laid down on the mattress beneath him and he nuzzled his face into her neck, whispering sweet nothings and “my love,” Diana decided that she was inclined to agree. 


	24. Chapter 23: Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Eyes on the stars, diviana,” he murmured, his nose skimming her throat as he bit down on her shoulder, then laved his tongue over the red mark he left. “See how they shine for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw and a whole lotta praise.

**_Caherdaniel, Ireland 2044_ **

**_Five days later_ **

_ It is cold and dark. _

_ Diana stands in pitch-black darkness, unable to see beyond her own hands, which seem to glow with a strange inner light. She marvels at them for a few seconds, momentarily reminded of the way sunlight looks from underwater, then lets them fall back to her side. She takes a step forward, half expecting to fall into an unseen abyss, but the ground beneath her is solid. It seems that although this strange place is lacking in visual appeal, it is corporeal.  _

_ Diana’s brows furrow. _

_ No. She has been here before, in this place with no beginning or end. Once, years ago. _

_ The Void. _

_ Diana closes her eyes, focusing on the air around her, the way it feels against her skin. And _ ― _ there it is. Currents of static eddying around her like she is barely more than a stone in a swift-moving river. When she opens her eyes, there are streams of kaleidoscopic light whirling around her, each one leading to its own portal. _

_ “You remembered,” says a voice that is at once young and old. _

_ Diana turns, her eyes falling on a man shorter than her with salt and pepper hair and solemn dark eyes that have seen empires rise and fall, great happiness and great sorrow. She blinks. “Demetrius.” _

_ She has not seen him since that day on the island, two years ago. In fact, the only times she has ever seen him have been on the island inside the Tree. Diana gazes around. “Am I… here?” _

_ “No,” he replies. “Not in the way that I am. The Tree cannot harm you.” _

_ “You speak of the Tree as if it is a separate entity,” Diana notes, frowning. “But you are the Tree, aren’t you? You could control it?” _

_ “The Tree and I are linked, yes,” Demetrius admits, his gaze never wavering from hers. “The tree is my corporeal form. I am the consciousness. There once was a time when I could exert some control over its effects, but I can do so no longer. Which is why I am here, in your dreams, to remind you _ ―”

_ “I haven’t forgotten,” Diana interjects, her brows knitting. _

_ “ _ ― _ of the consequences,” Demetrius finishes, his eyes roaming around the Void, pointedly falling on the ribbons of darkness interspersed with the light. There are more strands of shadow now, leading to other worlds and dimensions. “If you do not act, others will suffer. Worlds beyond your own will suffer. You have the artifacts, but have not yet used them.” _

_ Diana gapes, at a loss. “I don’t know what to do with them! Please, can’t you tell me something?” _

_ Demetrius shakes his head almost sadly. “You know I cannot. I can only tell you this: you must go back before you can go forward. The rest, you must come into on your own. And when the time comes to find what you are looking for, you must go alone.” _

_ Diana feels her stomach drop. “Why? Why does this all depend on me?” _

_ Demetrius’s eyes are pitying. “Because you are of my blood. And hers. Time means nothing to us. We are but rocks in a current that flows in each and every direction, never wavering. ” He shakes his head, gaze suddenly distant. “But you will not be alone. Not entirely. The pieces will fall into place and your burden will be shared.” _

_ “By whoever I am meant to bring back?” she asks, pining for any clue she could get.  _

_ Demetrius only looks at her, expression unreadable. “You will know when the time comes.” _

_ “Why are you here?” Diana questions.  _

_ “I told you,” Demetrius replies, stepping forward and lifting his hand. “I am here to remind you of the consequences _ ―” _ His fingertips press against her temple. “And to hurry.” _

_ She feels the faintest pressure where his fingertips touch her forehead, and then, there is nothing. _

* * *

Diana awoke with a sharp inhale, eyes fluttering open. 

Her gaze roamed around the cottage interior, reorienting herself after… whatever that was. The fire had since gone out, leaving only the faint moonlight that streamed through the curtains to illuminate the room. Gaius slept soundly beside her, their bodies a tangled heap of limbs on a bed that was realistically too small for the both of them. But they had made it work.

Diana let out a long breath and set her head against the crook in Gaius’s shoulder, doing her best to slow her breathing enough to fall back asleep. She could hear his heartbeat, solid and reassuring, the faint creak of the coastal winds against the roof, the whisper of the waves crashing beyond, beckoning.

After several minutes passed, Diana gave up. She needed to think. 

She carefully extracted herself from Gaius’s arms, careful not to disturb his slumber―she knew he needed it. He still insisted on using the Compass to hunt down beasts all evening and Diana had gone with him all but once, when she stayed in for a video call with everyone back in New York to update them and brainstorm ideas. She quietly dressed, pulling on a pair of underwear she had purchased on their most recent expedition and one of Gaius’s thick sweaters before slipping out the front door. 

The air was cool against her bare legs, the sand fine and coarse beneath her feet as she wandered down to the water’s edge. Diana stared out at the dark ocean and the sea of stars above, her mind straying back to her conversation with Demetrius. The waves lapped at her toes, its temperature biting, but she didn’t mind. 

_ I am here to remind you of the consequences. And to hurry. _

How much time did she have left? They were fortunate that Demetrius’s island was so far from any large populations, otherwise, they would have to relocate people almost every week as the Tree’s influence grew. She must be running out of days if Demetrius was desperate enough to reach out to her and urge her to act quickly.

Adrian had told her she just needed to have faith, and she and Gaius had promised they would fight to have their future, but sometimes… it was hard to believe in that. Not when she could not see a way forward.

Diana sank to her knees in the surf, letting the water wash over her thighs as goosebumps erupted along her skin. She wouldn’t give up, no. But she just… needed a moment. 

She closed her eyes and sunk like a stone, deep into the depths of her own mind. 

* * *

_ Diana isn’t sure how old she is anymore. She knows she can do the math and calculate her age, but what does it matter? She will always be twenty-four. The world around her will keep changing, but she will forever stay the same. _

_ She stands in the hallway, waiting outside of the hospital room for the doctor to finish his checkup. Adrian stands beside her, rubbing soothing circles into her back as she stares at the linoleum floor, absently gnawing at her thumbnail.  _

_ “I hate to see you go through this, Diana,” Adrian murmurs tucking her into his side and resting his chin atop her head. “I know it’s hard, but you’re very brave. You’ll get through this.” _

_ Diana can only nod numbly. She shouldn’t be surprised. This is a part of the price being an immortal _ ― _ watching loved ones die while she lives on. Every vampire she knows has experienced the loss of at least one beloved mortal. It was only a matter of time before she would have to say goodbye too. _

_ She just wishes it didn’t have to come so soon. _

_ The doctor steps out of the room, shutting the door softly behind him, his clipboard in hand. Diana straightens, shrugging out of Adrian’s embrace. “How is he? How much longer does he… how much longer?” _

_ “Truthfully, he’s not doing well,” the doctor admitted, his eyes compassionate but demeanor professional. For that, Diana is grateful. She’s not entirely sure she can handle someone else’s pity right now. “It could be days. At best, a week. But we can never be certain. People surprise us every day with their resilience.” _

_ Diana’s shoulders sag and she nods. “Thank you.” _

_ The doctor opens his mouth as if to say something, then nods back and continues down the hallway. _

_ “Would you like me to come in with you?” Adrian asks gently, his hand settling on her shoulder. _

_ Diana closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before shaking her head. “Yes, but not right now. I would like to talk to him alone first.” _

_ “Okay,” he says softly, his touch sliding away. “I’m going to find your mom in the cafeteria and let her know what the doctor said.” _

_ “Thank you.” Diana waits until he disappears around the corner before opening the door to her father’s room and stepping inside.  _

_ It almost hurts to look at him. _

_ He is reclined in the hospital bed, thin sheets tucked around him, an array of wires and tubes connected to him. The only sound is the whirr of his breathing apparatus and his heart monitor. He looks so small amidst the pillows and cluster of machines, his skin stretched tight across his frame, hair that was once thick and dark now patchy and graying. His dark brown eyes trail across the room, illuminating with a faint light as they land on Diana.  _

_ “Hey,” he smiles, his breaths labored. “Bubbles.” _

_ Diana gives him a watery smile that quivers, just a bit, although she tries her best to hide it. “Hi, Dad.” _

_ He lifts his arm, his skin blueish and blotchy, and Diana rushes into them, gently arranging herself to sit on the side of his bed without disturbing any of the devices or tubes around him. She feels like she is a child again, curled up into his side after a bad day, trying not to cry. _

_ “You look beautiful as always, Di,” he says softly, stroking her hair. “You and your Fountain of Youth.” _

_ Diana’s breath hitches. “Dad, I wish I could… If you wanted me to… I could petition _ ―”

_ She stumbles through her words, but he only shakes his head, eyes solemn. “I told you. When it’s my time, it’s my time. Didn’t know it would be so  _ soon _ , but _ ― _ ” He gives a weak chuckle that is as much for her sake as it is for his. “Hey, that’s life.” _

_ Despite herself, Diana sniffles. “I know, but I wish _ ―”

_ “None of that, bubbles,” he chides softly. “Wishing is for stars.” _

_ Diana opens her mouth to respond, then sighs, nodding. He’s right. There’s nothing she can do. Nothing she can do that he wants, anyway. _

_ “Hey,” he nudges her shoulder with his. “Where’s that pretty boy CEO of yours? You two ever going to get married?” _

_ Diana laughs softly. “Adrian went to go find mom in the cafeteria. He’ll be back in a bit.” _

_ “Mm, I like that one.” He nods in approval. “He got me new golf clubs for my birthday two years ago.” _

_ “Ah, yes. Golf clubs,” Diana teases, tapping his chest. “The way to your heart.” _

_ “I’m a man of principles,” he replies, settling back against the pillows. “But you know my heart belongs to you and your mother. No amount of fancy clubs will change that.” _

_ Diana smiles softly at that, feeling her chest ache ever so slightly. They sit in silence for a while, simply enjoying the other’s company.  _

_ “Diana?” _

_ She lifts her head from his shoulder, shifting to see his face. “Yeah?” _

_ He looks troubled, gaze traveling from the far wall to her face. “You know I just want you to be happy, right? That’s all I have ever wanted.” _

_ Diana’s chest tightens painfully, her brows knitting together. “I know, Dad. But…” She trails off, although neither of them need her to finish. The bond between a father and daughter run deep, and both know what she’s thinking.  _ How can I be happy without you?

_ “You will be, Diana. You have to be,” he insists, taking a deep breath. “You’re going to live a long life and you are going to lose a lot of people. But you have to find happiness where you can and find peace when it’s time to let it go. The world will move on before you’re ready and sometimes it will feel like you can never catch up. But what matters is that you keep trying.” _

_ Tears well up in her eyes, unbidden, and she does her best to discreetly wipe them away with her shoulder, but her father takes notice, clucking his tongue and tucking her back into his side. _

_ “I’m going to miss you,” Diana confesses, her voice thick with emotion. “So much.” _

_ “I know, bubbles,” he coos, rubbing her arm comfortingly. “But you can see me whenever you want.” He taps the side of her temple, knowing full well of her abilities now. Another long moment passes before he speaks again. “I have one more thing to ask of you, Diana. It is perhaps the hardest thing of all.” _

_ She shakes her head. “Anything.” _

_ Her father takes her hand, his skin cool against hers, and presses his thin lips to her knuckles. “I want you to _ live _ ,” he breathes, squeezing her fingers. “For me. For your friend Lily. For everyone you will ever come to love and lose. Don’t just survive every day. Live. And keep going. Promise me that.” _

_ Diana swallows the lump in her throat.  _ How?  _ she wants to ask, but she knows he cannot give her that solution. It is one she must find on her own. She nods. “I promise.” _

_ Diana doesn’t know how to do what he asks of her. She cannot see a way forward. But she will most certainly try. _

* * *

Diana opened her eyes and sniffed, watching a crystalline tear fall on her thigh, lingering there for a moment before the waves wiped them away. 

“There you are.”

Diana turned to find Gaius sitting beside her, his legs bent and forearms resting upon his knees. The bottoms of his sweatpants were soaked through with saltwater, but he didn’t seem to mind. She cleared her throat, quickly wiping at her eyes although she knew he already saw her tears. “When did you wake up?”

He shrugged, eyes trailing along the dark horizon. “Not long after you, I suppose. I don’t sleep as well without you.”

Diana gave him a small smile, then held out her hand for him, an invitation to join her. He laced his fingers through hers, pulling her to sit between his legs with her back to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, cocooning her in his warmth, as the cold waves lapped at their legs. 

“What were you thinking of?” he asked gently, resting his chin on her shoulder.

She took a deep breath, eyes trained on the whitecaps, stark against the dark sea. “Everything that’s at stake. Time. A way forward.”

“That’s quite a bit to think of,” Gaius frowned, his brows knitting together.

“Yeah,” she agreed, resting her head back against his shoulder. Demetrius’s urgent message crossed her mind and Diana knew she should tell him about her conversation with her ancestor, her dream, and how they probably needed to return to New York―and she would. But for now, she wanted to share something else. “I was also thinking about my dad.”

Gaius lifted his chin, glancing down at her. “You’ve only talked about him once with me.”

Yes, only once, when she had allowed him into her memories of her birthday at the aquarium. “He passed away about fifteen years ago.”

He didn’t say “I’m sorry” or whatever it was that most people said when they found out. He knew her too well to utilize such small words, and for that, she was grateful. Instead, Gaius kissed her temple. “He seemed like a good man. Based on what you have shown me.”

Diana smiled slightly. “He was the best.” She glanced up and back at him, skimming her fingertips along his jaw. “He would have liked you.”

Gaius scoffed at that. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

“He would have,” she insisted, crossing her arm across her chest and twisting slightly to rest her hand atop the back of his neck. “All he ever wanted was for me to be happy. And you…” She trailed off, brushing her thumb over his smooth skin. “You make me happy.”

Gaius’s lips curled into a gentle smile. “You are too sweet,  _ diviana.” _

Gaius leaned in, kissing her softly, sweetly. Diana relaxed into him, relishing the feel of his soft lips, expertly working against hers. The night was cold, but he was so warm. She took solace in this, the way he held her, how he felt like home.

“Far too sweet,” he murmured, drawing away, a new glint in his eyes. “You’ll rot my teeth.”

“Says you,” she huffs, applying the slightest bit of pressure to the back of his neck and kissing him again. “I could drown in the words you say.”

“The words I say do not even begin to capture the way I feel about you.” Gaius kissed the corner of her mouth, then the edge of her jaw. “My love.”

“That,” Diana breathed. “Is exactly what I am talking about. You have a silver tongue.”

“You love it,” he hummed, running his nose along the slender curve of her throat, one arm barring across her shoulder as his other hand flattened against her stomach. “Poets could compose the most wonderful sonnets about you and still never quite capture the full extent of your beauty. But I will spend the rest of my life trying.”

Diana inhaled sharply, the muscles in her stomach jumping as his hand slid beneath her sweater―his sweater, truly―and she realized just how little she was wearing. When she spoke, her voice was far too high and reedy considering he had barely even touched her. “Now who’s flattering who?”

“Mm, I believe according to you, my love,” he hummed, his voice low in her ear. His fingers skimmed lower, brushing against the hem of her underwear, and Diana’s abdomen clenched. “It’s not flattering if it is the truth.”

“No,” she whispered, tilting her head to kiss him again but he leaned away, lips curving into the most sinful smile and eyes sparkling in a way that made her toes curl.

“No?” Gaius echoed, lifting a brow. “As in, no, you don’t believe me? Or no, you want me to stop?”

“Don’t stop,” Diana huffed, knowing full well that he was having a ball flustering her but not exactly opposed to this either. She didn’t understand it―how he could be so sweet yet so… alluring all at once. How he could turn an innocent conversation into one that made her think of nothing but sin. 

“You seem to have no idea how lovely you are,  _ diviana, _ ” he purred, the arm that was barred across her shoulders lifting for just a moment before his hand was on her throat, fingertips slowly sliding along her skin, applying just enough pressure to make her inhale sharply. He took her jaw between his fingers and angled her head to the other side as he promised, “So I suppose I will have to show you.”

He skimmed the razor-sharp point of his incisors along the column of her neck, tracing along the vein that stood out there, just as his fingers slid beneath her underwear. Diana gasped as his fingers brushed her clit, hips canting forward and spine curving. Gaius pulled away, careful not to accidentally pierce her flesh as he chuckled darkly at her reaction to him.

“Oh, I do enjoy this,” he murmured, nipping at her ear. “How ready you are for me. How…  _ responsive. _ ”

He pressed a single finger against her folds, delighting in the gasp that fell from her mouth, the tremor in her fingers as they splayed out on his thighs. “Gaius…”

“I only just had you this morning before bed,” he mused, his fingers barely dipping into her, then sliding along her lips, spreading her slick. “Evidently, that was not enough. But I cannot blame you,” he sighed almost wistfully as his hand fell from her jaw to rest below her sternum, gently holding her flush to his body. “I always want you, too.”

Diana couldn’t help the whimper that escaped her lips as she felt him against her backside, hard and wanting. Her mouth felt dry as she released his thigh and started to reach around, wanting― _ needing _ to touch him.

But Gaius wasn’t having it. He grabbed her wrist, softly but not weakly pinning it to his knee. He clicked his tongue, tsking in disapproval. “I told you,  _ diviana. _ This is about you.”

He kissed her neck, sucking bruises into the tender skin as he slid two fingers into her. Diana moaned, unrestrained as he curled his digits within her, rubbing against her walls, spreading her open. The waves lapped at their bare feet, splashing up to their ankles, the temperature cold and jarring but also electrifying, sending shivers down Diana’s spine. “Gaius.”

“I’ve already told you how much I adore the sounds you make,” he said huskily and Diana could barely hear the sand shifting over the sound of her own pulse and the waves as his hips rocked forward, his self-restraint waning. “But I think I love it most when you say my name.”

Gaius pumped his fingers into her, adding a third into the mix, and Diana keened, her hips writhing to take him deeper. He obliged as if he could deny her nothing, flattening his palm against her to fill her better, the heel of his hand grinding down on her clit. Diana moaned his name again, her head falling back against his shoulder, mind clouded with bliss.

Before even a moment had passed, Gaius took her chin in his hand once again, lifting her face and directing her gaze to the sea spread out before them, the dark line where it met the sky.

“Eyes on the stars,  _ diviana, _ ” he murmured, his nose skimming her throat as he bit down on her shoulder, then laved his tongue over the red mark he left. “See how they shine for you.”

Diana gasped as his fingers brushed a spot inside of her, relentless in their pursuit of her ecstasy. Her gaze was hazy, trained on the sparkling sky, but his eyes were trained on her.

“I have been alive long enough to see the constellations change,” he said softly against her skin. “I have seen beautiful men and women from all over the world. And in all my time, all of my travels, I have never met someone as breathtaking as you.”

His words were so damned sweet, she wanted to cry. All of this―his words, his touch―it was too much. Diana’s throat was already hoarse from straining, her body arching to meet his hand. She clenched around his fingers, the friction burning in the most incredible way.

“You are everything to me,” Gaius admitted, his voice as tender as it was seductive. “You are kind, and good, and strong, Diana. No one has ever challenged me the way you do.  _ Loved _ me the way you do.”

Diana’s heart slammed against her ribcage as her hips thrust into the air. The waves licked up her bare calves, the freezing water adding to the tension that was already building in her thighs, and she shuddered. “I do―” she panted, barely able to think straight. “―love you.”

“And I you,” he replied, thrusting his fingers harder, deeper, angling his wrist so that his thumb pressed against her clit instead, rubbing in steady circles. “What am I, if not yours?”

_ “Gaius.”  _ She keened. Oh, she would not last much longer. 

“Understand this, my love,” he murmured, his lips pressing tender kisses to the side of her jaw, her cheek. “I have stood, unfaltering, for thousands of years. But the day I met you, my legs shook.”

Without warning, Diana came, stuttering against his palm in fits, her fingers fisting in the fabric of his pants. She trembled, toes curling into the sand as the surf washed over her bare calves as she fluttered around his fingers. Gaius wrapped his free arm around her and pressed his lips to her temple, whispering, “I’m here” over and over again as she cried his name into the stars above.

* * *

Later, they sat together on his bed, leaning against the wall and staring at the interior of the cottage with an unspoken reluctance to leave it. Diana had told him about Demetrius’s message after their tryst on the beach. She had taken him three times―twice in the sand and once against the front door of the cottage when they returned and realized they still had not had enough. 

Their bags were packed, sitting in a pile on the floor by the couch. That small bundle was all they were taking back to New York, an unspoken agreement that they would return here as soon as possible lingering between them.

Diana’s solemn gaze traveled around the room, noting the things they left behind, his possessions and even some of hers. She found herself wondering how was it possible that she had done more living in this tiny cottage in a few days than she had in entire months back in her Manhattan apartment. But it didn’t take long before she had found the answer. 

It was because of him.

Gaius’s fingertips trailed across her knee, tracing shapes into the fabric of her leggings as he watched her. “Tell me more about your father.”

Diana raised her brow. “My father?”

Gaius nodded, reaching out to tuck a strand of her long hair behind her ear. “You mentioned him earlier on the beach. Before…”

Ah, yes.  _ Before. _ Diana’s lip quirked. “Before you distracted me?”

“Distracted you? Is that what you would call that?” He gave her a lopsided grin that was so wolfish, she had to glance away. 

_ You’re incorrigible, _ she scolded, huffing through her nose.

_ Perhaps,  _ he replied. He nudged her knee. “But back to what I said earlier. I would like to hear more about your father before we go and Matsuo tries to kill me every five seconds. He seems like he was a good man. And I want to know who helped make you… you.”

Her heart fluttered at the sentiment. Diana twisted her mouth to the side, sifting through her words. “He was… a dreamer. Always talking about a better world―just like us. A better world where people are kinder. More loving. More forgiving.” Diana scooted closer, leaning her head against Gaius’s shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her, his cheek resting against her temple. “He always saw the best in people. My mom, when her visions were bad and her temper was short. Me, when I was… well, a teenager.” 

Gaius laughed softly at that. “I imagine you were a force to be reckoned with, even then.”

She lightly jabbed him with an elbow as she looked up at him. “Even then? What do you think I am now?”

He shrugged, lips curving into a playful smirk although the look in his eyes was nothing short of adoring. “You are a storm to be weathered,  _ diviana. _ Each day, I’m just trying to survive.”

Diana felt her throat tighten and she shook her head, cheeks flushing. “Silver tongue.”

“You love it.”

Diana rolled her eyes, then glanced at him sidelong. “I do.”

He smiled, then held her tighter against his side. “Your father sounds a lot like you. Always seeing the best in people. In Adrian and Kamilah.” He brushed the back of his finger against her cheek. “In me.”

“It wasn’t that hard,” Diana said softly, shaking her head. “Once you were you, the good in you shone through.”

Gaius smiled broadly and Diana’s breath quickened. It was like looking into the sun. “Nevertheless. Thank you. For looking.”

Diana leaned in and kissed him softly. “Thank you for being patient with me.”

His lips were warm, pliant against hers. “I waited for you for three thousand years. I would have gladly waited for three thousand more.”

Diana grinned, shifting to wrap his arms around his neck and pull him in for one last lingering kiss before drawing back, resting her head against his chest. “I wish we could stay here forever.”

“When this is over, we can come back,” he promised, sighing. After a few moments passed, he questioned, “Your mother, she’s still alive, yes?”

“Alive and kicking,” she nodded against him. “Why?”

“Will I… get to meet her?”

Diana lifted her head, her brows raised. “You want to meet my mom?”

“Well, yes,” Gaius blinked owlishly at her as if surprised by her reaction. “Shouldn’t I?”

“I mean, yeah, if you want to,” Diana shrugged, reaching out to brush away a stray strand of hair from his forehead. “I didn’t know that you would, but I suppose it seems right.” She let her hand slide down to cup his cheek. “When all of this is over, I’ll take you to meet her. I think she’ll like you.”

“Because you’re happy with me?”

Diana brushed her thumb over his cheek and leaned up on her knees to kiss his forehead. “Because you’re handsome.”

Gaius chuckled. “Ah, of course. Mothers.”

Before Diana could reply, her phone went off, vibrating loudly against the table. She sighed and grabbed it, seeing one message on her home screen.

_ I’m getting old waiting here. Where are you? _

“Is that Matsuo? I have a feeling it’s Matsuo.”

Diana huffed, getting to her feet. “You aren’t wrong. It’s time to head back.”

Gaius pursed his lips but nodded. “Time to face the cavalry.”

He withdrew the Compass from beneath his shirt and hefting his pack onto his shoulder, his  _ gladius _ once again in his possession. Diana took one last glance around the cottage, then pulled a knife from her boot and placed it into his outstretched hand, looping her arm around his waist. His arm settled across her shoulders as he drew the blade across his palm and stained the amulet with his blood.

Diana watched as the Compass’s light illuminated his face, blowing his hair back on a phantom wind. His crystal blue eyes met Diana’s and she surged forward, kissing him once more before the amulet’s glow pulsed and they disappeared in a blinding flash.


	25. Chapter 24: A Way Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected visitor sparks a revelation.

**_New York, New York, 2044_ **

“Well, that didn’t go as horribly as I thought it would.”

Diana and Gaius were strolling through Central Park, taking a detour on their way to Diana’s apartment after meeting with the others at Raines Corp. It had been an… interesting reunion. Gaius hadn’t received as cold of a reception as he had two years ago―well, Jax was still as gruff as ever. But Adrian had clapped him on the shoulder in greeting and when Kamilah entered, her eyes landing on Gaius and Diana, sitting side by side, her lips had curved into the slightest of smiles. 

Diana supposed that was the best she could expect for now. 

“Why would it?” Diana lifted her brow, glancing up at his profile, face gilded silver in the moonlight. “They don’t blame you for leaving. I was the one who told you to go.”

“Perhaps. But there’s still the last three thousand years to consider,” Gaius replied, a sardonic edge to his voice. “And the fact that you and I…” He trailed off, not needing to complete the thought. 

“Well, I think they’re beginning to understand what Rheya did to you,” she replied, chewing her bottom lip. “Maybe they don’t forgive you yet, but they don’t have to in order to find peace with you.” Diana inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of fresh grass, grimy lakewater, and wet asphalt. “As for you and I… well, even if they didn’t approve, they have no choice but to accept it. Wherever you are,” she shrugged. “That’s where I’ll be.”

Gaius looked sidelong at her, raising his eyebrows. “Sometimes,  _ diviana _ , you surprise me.”

Diana tilted her head, sending him a look. “What, are you still surprised that I would fight for you?” She clucked her tongue, shaking her head as she looped her arm through his. “You aren’t the only one who knows of devotion.”

Gaius’s brows knitted and Diana rolled her eyes at how touched he seemed to be by her declaration. The fact that he was even surprised by her affection at this point… Ridiculous. Gaius cleared his throat, eyes falling on the paved path before them. “In any case, Matsuo looked like he was going to be sick the entire time.”

A smile tugged at the end of Diana’s mouth. “You don’t sound very sorry about that.”

“Mm, no,” Gaius admitted, smirking slightly. “I’m not.”

Diana chuckled, shaking her head. “Petty men.”

They wandered through the park for a while longer, taking several winding paths until they eventually came upon a statue of a handsome man in a frock coat. Diana’s eyes fell on the small plaque on the side just as Gaius released her arm and said, “This is the entrance, isn’t it? It’s been so long…”

Diana nodded. This was where the entrance to the ruined underground temple lay. Diana could not even recall how long it had been since she had last been inside. Without a Council, there was no reason to enter, no tribunals to hold within. In fact, as Diana studied the statue, she realized that the last time she had entered the temple had been a few days after Rheya. Judging by the way Gaius went rigid, she knew he was thinking of that day too.

It was the day she had spared Gaius, the day she had given him a chance to travel along the path of redemption he was still on now. But it had also been the day she had laid her best friend to rest, the day of Lily’s memorial.

Diana’s heart suddenly felt very, very heavy in her chest.

Her fingertips brushed over the silver charm that still hung at the base of her throat, even after all of these years. It had been a long while since Diana stopped mourning Lily, but with the future so uncertain and trouble on the horizon, Diana couldn’t help but miss her. Desperately. What she wouldn’t give to have her best friend there, to hear her laugh and her ridiculous commentary. To have a bright spot in all of the dark places. 

She felt Gaius’s hand brush against hers, rousing her from her thoughts. When he spoke, his voice was gentle, “She may be gone, but her memory lives on. In everyone who knew her. In you,  _ diviana. _ ”

_ Funny,  _ Diana thought, how her father had once told her just about the same thing. 

“The day you laid her to rest, you allowed me to live,” Gaius whispered, his fingers lacing through hers. “Great sorrow was born out of that day, but also immense happiness. Remember that every end gives way to a new beginning.”

Diana looked up at him, holding tight to his hand. “I can always count on you to say the most poetic things.”

Gaius laughed beneath his breath and shook his head. “No poetry this time. Simply what I wanted to tell you, all those years ago. Even if I didn’t believe it then either.” He tugged gently on her hand. “Come along. It’s been a long day.”

Diana nodded, staring at the statue for one moment longer before allowing Gaius to lead her away and into the night. 

* * *

The following evening, Diana laid in bed with her arm stretched above her, watching the Mercurian Compass swing back and forth like a glittering pendulum as she began to wonder if she should have gone hunting with Gaius. In the silence of her apartment, she recounted all that she had learned over the past two years about Tree, the artifacts, and how she was supposed to stop the corruption from spreading through not only her world but through others.

_ I can only tell you this: you must go back before you can go forward. _

_ …You are of my blood. And hers. Time means nothing to us _

_ The pieces will fall into place and your burden will be shared. _

_ Those who can help you have already passed _

_ It is a truth you must face on your own, Diana. It must be your own will you act upon, or else it will not work. _

Diana swung the Mercurian Compass up and flipped her hand, catching it in her palm, the golden links of the chain clinking together. She sighed heavily and sat up. She was getting nowhere. How was she supposed to know who could help her when she didn’t know what she needed them to do?

Diana took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of her nose before looping the talisman back over her head. Her fingertips brushed over its intricate golden surface, the pale green stone, then her silver lily pendant. 

“Oh, Lil,” Diana murmured into the empty room. “I wish you were here.”

She let out a heavy breath, then dropped her hand, gazing around her bedroom. There was nothing for her here. Diana’s eyes fell on the nightstand beside her bed. Perhaps a change in scenery would help. 

She leaned over and opened the drawer, sifting through stray papers and trinkets until she found what she was looking for. Another amulet, this one made of embossed pewter. Unlike the Compass, it had no power. It was simply made to fit its counterpart. Diana stared at it for a moment, then swung her legs out of bed, grabbed her coat off the back of a nearby chair, and slid the amulet into her pocket.

Several minutes later, Diana hustled down the sidewalk, the collar of her coat pulled up high to ward against the night chill, her nose wrinkled in distaste at the scent of garbage and piss. It was still somewhat crowded this time of night―she supposed that was part of the city’s charm. Some part of it was always bustling, even at odd hours. Nevertheless, Diana kept her gaze pointed steadily ahead, ignoring the lingering eyes of leery men, even scowling at those who came too near. 

She paused at the edge of the crosswalk, paying more attention to the traffic light than the pedestrian signal before crossing the street and into the shadowy park beyond.

_ You are not at home, _ Gaius said into her mind, his voice cool.

Diana smiled slightly, comforted by his presence as she wound through Central Park.  _ I went for a walk in the Park. Why are you back at the apartment? _

_ I thought I would drop off these pastries I picked up but seeing as you aren’t here…  _ Diana could hear the smirk in his voice, even in her head.  _ I suppose I’ll keep them for myself.  _

_ Oh?  _ she questioned. _ I thought you weren’t fond of sweet things. _

_ I like you well enough, _ he replied and Diana rolled her eyes.  _ Just be careful.  _

_ Aren’t I always?  _

_ Absolutely not, _ he scoffed, then― _ I’ll be in your area if you need anything. I’ll see you at dawn. _

_ Happy hunting,  _ Diana bid him and she felt him disappear with one last caress against her mind. 

Diana’s smile lingered as she hurried through the park, lasting all the way to the statue she and Gaius had stood before the previous night. She pressed her lips into a firm line, gazing up at the placid face of the bronze man, then pulled the pewter amulet from her pocket. Diana pressed it to the plaque on the side, fitting it into a small divot. A perfect fit. Diana was reminded of the first time she had come this way, with Kamilah and Lily for Adrian’s Tribunal with the Council. Of the eight people who were there that night, only half remained. 

The sound of stone grinding against stone filled the air as the ground beneath the statue slid open, revealing the dark stairway beneath. Diana pulled out her phone, using its flashlight to illuminate the way as she crept down the decrepit steps and into the cavern below. The air was stale and cool, smelling faintly of musk, soil, and damp rock. Cobwebs clung to crumbling statues and Diana wound her way through heaps of rubble before reaching the platform at the far end of the chamber where a throne of marble sat.

Diana sat down in it, pressing her spine against the cold back as she curled her fingers over the arms of the chair. She could feel everything in the cold stone―the arrogance, the vision, the ambition. This was the Shadow King’s seat of power―Gaius’s seat of power. Diana tried to imagine what it was like to be him, ruling an entire kingdom from this underground temple, so much might and potential at his fingertips. And for a moment, she could see his vision, corrupted as it had been. She saw this very temple, candlelit and whole in its full glory. 

So much history had been made here. Years of plotting and planning. Some of the greatest vampires to ever live had gathered in this throne room. So many of them had also met their fate in this very room as well. Diana’s eyes fell on the spot where she and Gaius stood two decades ago, his fate hanging in the air between them. To think, that Diana could have damned him to be just another soul lost here. 

As Diana sat there, staring out at the dark chamber, she allowed herself to consider it―ruling. As a queen. Even as a goddess. She had to admit, it was tempting. Sitting there on the throne, even in the remnants of a broken legacy, she felt powerful. She saw the world, which had once seemed so vast and endless, sprawled out at her feet, now so small and breakable.

Although she had never spent a moment considering it, Diana knew she could do it. She could create a kingdom and build upon the free world she had already established twenty years ago. But she would not be like Rheya. There were too many people watching her back to ever let her fall.

Diana trailed her finger along the marble arm of the trail, contemplating the possibilities. Perhaps one day, if the world needed a guiding hand. But things were going well now―there was no need for intervention. She would let the world have its chance at governing itself. Perhaps this time around, with humans and vampires living together, they would get it right. 

“Imagine that, Lil,” Diana sighed into the empty chamber, her voice echoing off the stone and into the shadows her light did not reach. “Me, ruling a kingdom,” she shook her head, cupping her chin in her hand, heart heavy. “But I don’t think I want it. Not if you aren’t there by my side.”

“She could be,” someone said from the shadows.

Diana straightened, alarm shooting through her as her muscles tensed and her eyes scanned the darkness. Tendrils of her psychic power fanned out in search of the owner of that voice until―Diana’s fingers tightened around the arms of the throne, her voice harsh and low. “Serafine.”

Serafine stepped out from behind a marble pillar, her hands raised and palms facing outward. “Diana.”

She was dressed in pants and a casual blouse, her appearance a far cry from what it had been back in Copenhagen. There were no weapons in sight, although Diana had no doubt that Serafine’s clothes concealed an untold number of them. But more than that, a few knives were not Diana’s biggest threat. Not when Serafine’s greatest power was her mind. 

“No crossbow bolt through the leg this time?” Diana asked coolly, her gaze unwavering from the woman before her. 

“We both know that bolts and blades will do nothing to you,” Serafine replied, cautiously stepping forward into the middle of the tattered carpet. “And I do not wish you any ill will or harm. I am not here for revenge, I’m here to talk to you. That’s all.”

“Talk?” Diana bit back a sneer. “You mean you wish to convert me into your cult. I told you before, I killed Rheya for a reason. I will never dedicate myself to your blood goddess.”

“I’m not asking you to, Diana.” Serafine shook her head, stepping even closer. She clasped her hands together, holding them to her chest, the perfect picture of a humble supplicant. “I don’t want you to kneel to Rheya. I want you to rule beside her.”

Diana inhaled sharply, lifting her chin. “What?”

Serafine slowly lowered herself to one knee. “You are her descendant. I know that now. When I held Gaius’s mind, I saw the truth of the Bloodkeeper’s lineage. But you never told Rheya, did you?”

“I was a little busy  _ fighting for my life _ ,” Diana ground out, gritting her teeth.

“But it  _ is _ true. That you are the last of her line.” Serafine braced her forearm on her knee and gazed up at Diana, her expression hesitant but hopeful. “You are her descendant, but you know our history. You know what mistakes not to make. You don’t want to be a goddess, Diana, but you can guide her. Curb her. Rheya is capable of good. She is the Goddess of Blood, yes, but she is also a Goddess of Life.”

Diana’s breath caught in her throat.  _ Goddess of blood and… life. _ She felt her own blood freeze in her veins, a realization dawning on her.  _ No.  _

“Together, the two of you could do so much good,” Serafine insisted, eyes searching. “Separately, you cannot bring back the dead on your own, but together…” She trailed off, letting the words hang in the air, the silence carrying their purpose.

Diana couldn’t help but think of the clarity Rheya had found in her last few moments, her expression when she realized that she was no goddess, just a monster. For a second, Diana had thought her redeemable. She had even tried to spare Rheya. Diana considered all of the good Gaius had done with his second chance. What could Rheya do if she fought on the right side?

“You could do anything,” Serafine continued. “You could bring back your dear friend, Lily―”

A steel hand clamped around Diana’s heart, cutting off her sympathy, her willingness to listen to this plea any longer. “That is  _ enough.” _

Serafine visibly flinched back at the razor-sharp edge of Diana’s voice.

No, Rheya wasn’t the same as Gaius. She had not been guided by anything other than revenge, bloodlust, and an unquenchable thirst for power. She was too unpredictable. When Diana had let Gaius go, it was with the knowledge that if he ever became a problem again, she could handle it. Bringing back Rheya offered no such certainty. 

But Diana was beginning to realize that perhaps there was no choice. 

_ You cannot end it like this… Your blood alone is not enough. _

“You want me to bring her back,” Diana said flatly, getting to her feet. She stared down at Serafine from atop the platform, her jaw tight.

Serafine’s eyes seemed to glow with a fervor. She breathed, “Yes.”

“And if I disagree?”

There was a long silence, the air between the two women growing fraught with tension.

“Then you are against me,” Serafine said at last, and stood, drawing two stakes from her boots. Her gaze fell to the golden chain around Diana’s neck, all the way down to where it disappeared beneath her shirt, the fabric concealing the Mercurian Compass. “I will never stop trying.  _ We _ will never stop trying. And you have what we need.”

Diana was still conflicted when her hands clenched into fists, power surging through her veins. Serafine took note of the expression that crossed Diana’s countenance and a shred of regret sparkled in her dark eyes.

_ But you will not be alone… The pieces will fall into place and your burden will be shared. _

Serafine lifted her spikes and Diana closed her eyes.

_ “Ah―!” _

Diana’s eyes fluttered open, sensing the sudden shift in the air, the broken tension. Serafine was suspended in motion, her eyes wide and lips parted. Against her own will, her fingers unfurled and her silver stakes clattered to the floor, the harsh sound echoing throughout the room. Gaius stood at the edge of the shadows, his fist clenched and jaw set, face perfectly calm save for the fire burning in his eyes.

“You may despise me, Serafine,” he said in a low voice, a blue fire blazing to life in the palm of his other hand. “But do not forget whose blood runs through your veins.”

Despite everything, Diana felt her heart flutter in her chest at the sight of him. His eyes met hers, softening a fraction as he spoke down the bond,  _ I felt your alarm and came running.  _

Diana’s lip curved.  _ My knight in shining armor. _

Gaius crossed the room in long, elegant strides, coming to stand at the base of the stairs that led to Diana and the throne. He nodded to her, answering her last thoughts aloud, “My love.”

There was a wicked gleam in his eyes that made her brow raise. 

Gaius turned around, his gaze trailing over Serafine, who was red and panting as she furiously strained against his invisible hold. His eyes fell to the floor, head tilting as he stooped to retrieve her silver spikes and weighed them thoughtfully in his hands. Then, quicker than even Diana could perceive, he flipped the stakes in his palm and surged forward, holding one over Serafine’s heart while the other tilted her chin up with its lethal point. “You are a resourceful and devoted woman, Serafine Dupont. I will give you that. But it is time for your rebellion to end.”

“You are a traitor, Gaius,” Serafine wheezed, her chest heaving with exertion. “Rheya  _ loved you _ and you betrayed her.”

“Rheya  _ loved no one,” _ Gaius snarled, his lips pulling back over his teeth. “Not me and not you. She did not love any of us.”

_ “Liar.” _

Gaius’s expression resettled itself into its usual calm demeanor, although his eyes were pitying as he shook his head. “No. I am not.”

Serafine’s eyes flared in anger and denial. With every bit of strength she had, she jerked her chin away, allowing the stake’s razor-sharp tip to fall against her bared neck instead. “Do it then. Kill me. The Daughters don’t need me to continue the fight.”

Diana watched silently, prepared to intervene but Gaius only studied Serafine’s face. Diana wondered what he was searching for. 

“I should,” Gaius murmured, his hand steady as he held the stake to her throat. “For shooting Diana. For even daring to touch my mind in Copenhagen.” His eyes met Serafine’s for several long beats, and then he drew away. “But I won’t.” His hands fell to his sides, sliding the stakes into his belt. “You were deceived by her, just as I was. I cannot fault you for that.”

Gaius turned, ascending the steps to stand by Diana’s side. He did not reach out to her, although his pinky finger brushed along hers as he turned to face Serafine once more. He curled the fingers of his other hand and Serafine’s spine curved, her toes only barely skimming the ground as he held her aloft. “But make no mistake. If I ever hear any talk of bringing back Rheya from your mouth, you will not escape so easily. The next time I see you, it will be on better terms or not at all.”

He carelessly waved his hand, releasing Serafine from his hold. She collapsed to the ground, chest heaving as she wheezed, fingertips splayed out across the threadbare rug. Her eyes lifted, first to Diana, who was still at a loss for words, reeling with a new revelation. Then her gaze shifted to Gaius, wide and fearful.

Gaius lifted his chin, looking down his nose.  _ “Go.” _

Serafine glanced between them once more, then pushed herself to her feet and fled into the shadows. 

When her footsteps finally faded away, Diana fell back into the throne with a heavy sigh, her knees weak. Gaius turned to her, expression relaxing into something tender as Diana stared blankly ahead, her lips parted. He came to stand beside the throne, gently brushing his hand over the back of her head, fingers combing through her hair.

_ You look as if you have just seen a ghost, _ he said softly into her mind.

“I just realized…” Diana whispered, her body as cold as ice. “What it is that I have to do. Who…” She trailed off, swallowing hard. Her mouth felt dry, her tongue like sandpaper.

Gaius’s brow furrowed and he knelt beside her, fingers stroking her cheek as he tilted her face to meet her gaze. “What is it,  _ diviana?” _

_ A goddess of blood and life. A burden to be shared. The past. The Tree of Eternal Death. And above all, balance. _

“It’s Rheya, Gaius,” Diana breathed, her voice deathly quiet. “We have to bring her back.”


	26. Chapter 25: Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone's got a plan.

**_New York, New York, 2044_ **

“It’s Rheya, Gaius,” Diana breathed, her voice deathly quiet. “We have to bring her back.”

“No,” Gaius gaped, unsteadily getting to his feet. His throat bobbed and he paled, taking a step back. “No. It… we can’t.”

Diana could hardly bring herself to believe it either. She shook her head numbly, clasping her hands in her lap to stop them from shaking. “We have to. This… this is what Demetrius meant. He said that my blood wasn’t enough. But  _ hers _ is. I may have absorbed her powers but my blood is diluted. Impure. I…” Diana swallowed, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. “I―I don’t know. I don’t want to do this.”

“What are you proposing, Diana? That we just politely ask Rheya to give us her blood? And then what is next? ” Gaius questioned, his voice razor sharp as he knotted his hands in his hair and paced before her. “Even if she did agree to do that, how shall we deal with her then? We would be trading one threat for another. We would have to kill her all over again.”

“No,” Diana shook her head, her voice growing hoarse. “We wouldn’t. Rheya would have to… She would have to die for this.”

“What?” Gaius paused in his pacing to look at her, his brows drawn together. He looked so… worried. Confused. 

Diana gnawed on her lip as she stared down at her hands. “Do you remember what Kamilah said? About balance?”

“Equal good and equal bad. Light and dark. Life and death. Yes, I am familiar with the concept.” He nodded, untangling his fingers from his hair to fold his hands behind his back. “What about it?”

“The only way to truly stop Demetrius’s influence is to―” The words lodged themselves in her throat, so awful and cold she could hardly bring herself to say them. “The Tree must die. And Demetrius with it,” she said softly, the words ringing out across the empty chamber like a death sentence. “If we only reduce his influence, in a few years, it will just start spreading again without its counterpart to balance it out. It will take everything Rheya has to end it.”

“And  _ why _ would Rheya agree to give her life for our problems?” Gaius resumed his pacing, although this time, his strides were slower, more careful. Diana could see the gears in his mind turning, his years of strategizing coming into play. “Why shouldn’t she just try to kill us on the spot?” He hummed, low in his throat. “We would have to convince her that it is in her best interest to help us. But how?”

Diana propped her elbow on the arm of the throne, fitting her chin in her palm. “Her family is the only thing she has always cared about. Showing her what happened to Iola was the only way I was able to get through to her.” Her eyes widened.” If I could convince her that this was to help Demetrius…”

“She might agree to it. To die for him,” Gaius finished, his gaze troubled. He glanced away, staring into the shadows. Diana watched a muscle in his jaw feather as he worked it, lost in thought. Every line of his body was rigid with tension as he murmured, “I do not like this,  _ diviana. _ ”

When he turned towards her, Diana felt her heart strain against her ribcage. She had never seen him look so uncertain. So conflicted. Diana reached out her hand to him in a silent plea to come closer.

Gaius knelt beside her as she took one of his hands between her own and pressed her lips to his knuckles. She could not even begin to imagine how difficult this was for him. What Rheya had done… Diana knew that Gaius had been glad to be rid of her, but she sensed that parts of him were still aching from the betrayal she had done unto him. 

“I don’t like it either, Gaius,” Diana admitted, squeezing his fingers. “And I… I want to know that you are okay with this. That you will be ready to see her when I… When she’s back.”

He blinked, lips tugging into a frown as he echoed, “That I… am okay with this?”

She nodded, releasing his hand to gently brush a few silken locks away from his face before lovingly cupping his cheek. “We are in this together. And of all of us, you are the one who has the most reasons to oppose her resurrection. The things she did to you… Gaius, I can’t blame you for saying no. If you do not approve, we will search for another way.”

Gaius’s lips parted in surprise before he pressed them into a grim line, shaking his head. “No.” He took a deep breath. “No. I do not want Rheya to walk this earth, ever again. But there is no other way. We have been searching for solutions for two years. If this is it, then so be it.” He turned his face into the palm of her hand, kissing her fingertips. “I may have the most reasons to oppose her, but I also possess the greatest need to have her back.”

Diana’s brows furrowed but before she could begin to unpack that, he leaned forward and kissed her brow.

“If bringing back Rheya is what it takes to make sure you are safe, that I won’t lose you―” His eyes searched hers, eyes colored with honesty and a hint of desperation. “―then I have no choice but to accept it. I love you, Diana. If this is what you think we need to do, then I am with you. All of the way.”

Diana pulled him in, pressing her forehead to his, their noses just barely brushing. “I love you, too. I couldn’t do this without you by my side.”

“You won’t,” he promised, his fingers sifting through her hair as he cupped the back of her neck and leaned in to press his lips to hers. Diana felt her nerves settle a fraction as she let herself be washed away in the tide that was Gaius and his affection.

She curled her fingers beneath his chin, tipping his face upwards to deepen the kiss, pouring all of her heart into it. Diana urged him up, twisting her body so he could join her on the throne, never once breaking contact. She settled in Gaius’s lap, framing his hips with her thighs and wrapping her arms around his neck as his settled around her waist. When she wound her fingers into his curls and he relaxed into her touch, Diana sensed some of his reservations dissolve into nothing, his every emotion passing freely through their bond. 

She drew back just enough to meet his gaze, his hot breath fanning across her cheeks. Diana wanted to drown in the blue of his eyes, to lose herself in him, but instead, she whispered, “You’re afraid.”

Gaius’s brows drew together, his forehead creasing against hers. He withheld nothing from her as he whispered, “I am  _ terrified. _ ”

The honesty and complete vulnerability in his voice caught Diana like a knife to the chest. Her arms tightened around him and she leaned back to rest her head against his shoulder, her fingers absently stroking the back of his neck.

There was no telling what Rheya would do when they brought her back to life. They had a plan for how to convince her to help them, but they had to get Rheya to listen first. Would she still remember how she died? The truth about Iola? And what about her powers? Would they be back at full force? And if they were, Diana couldn’t help but wonder: what would become of her?

And amidst all of that, Diana couldn’t help but consider the possibility that even with Rheya on their side, it would still not be enough. 

Diana squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face in the crook of Gaius’s neck, her body curling into his as if they could hide here forever if they could just make themselves small enough. She shuddered, a sudden chill settling over her bones. Her voice was soft and meek as she admitted, “So am I.”

“We’ll be okay,” Gaius assured her, but they both knew his promise sounded false on his lips.

* * *

“You want to do  _ what _ ?” Jax blinked at them, his gaze shifting from Diana to Gaius and then back.

Diana winced inwardly, wrapping her arms tighter around herself and wishing she could melt into the bookcase at her back. Everyone had gathered in Adrian’s office, their faces growing graver by the second as Diana recounted their encounter with Serafine and the realization Diana had come to. 

“Bringing back Rheya is… certainly a risk,” Adrian frowned, lacing his hands on his desk before him.

“You don’t say,” Jax scowled, folding his arms as he sank into one of Adrian’s plush velvet armchairs. “Do you remember how much trouble we went through to kill that bitch? And now you want to bring her back?” His eyes fell on Gaius, who had just huffed a mirthless laugh. “And what are  _ you _ so amused about?”

Gaius turned his gaze away from the office window and leveled Jax with a cool look. “Just that you and I actually agree on something for once.” He let out a long-suffering sigh. “Nevertheless, it is necessary. Rheya is the only solution we have.”

Adrian looked up from his desk to Kamilah, who stood in the far corner of the room, staring hard at the patterned carpet, her expression unreadable. “What do you think, Kamilah?”

Her lips pressed into a harsh line as her gaze traveled from Adrian, to Diana, and finally to Gaius. A long moment passed before Kamilah replied, “No.”

Gaius straightened, his brows drawing together. “Kamilah―”

“We are not ready for another Rheya situation,” she cut in, regarding Gaius coolly. “The last time we faced her, we would have lost had it not been for Diana risking her life. This is not like the past. We don’t have someone breathing down our necks or chasing us across the world. There is always more than one way of doing something. Preferably a way that doesn’t involve bringing back our greatest enemy. We should take some more time to think this through and make sure we have not exhausted all of our options.”

“But that’s the thing,” Diana spoke up and every eye swiveled in her direction. “We _ don’t _ have time. Demetrius came to me in a dream the other night to tell me to hurry. I don’t know how long I have left. If we don’t act soon, it might… It might be too late for me.” She shivered and rubbed her arms for warmth although she knew the cold she felt was more than skin-deep. “Sometimes, I think I can feel the Tree’s influence. It’s like a chill has settled that won’t go away.”

Diana felt Gaius brush against her mind, a sympathetic gesture of comfort that warmed her soul ever so slightly. She knew without even needing to hear his thoughts to understand what that caress meant.  _ I am here.  _

“Christ, Di…” Jax breathed, rubbing at his temples. 

Adrian’s frown only deepened and his eyes briefly flitted to Kamilah, whose brow was creased. It was clear that she was still opposed to bringing back Rheya. Diana met Adrian’s eyes, silently praying that he would see the necessity of their actions and the short time span they were working with.

At long last, Adrian sighed, sitting back in his leather chair. “If you say that this is the only option there is for the small amount of time we have, then I suppose we have no choice.” Diana began to exhale when he added, “But I will ask you to wait a few days, Diana. Kamilah is right. Rheya…” He shook his head. “Bringing her back is a huge risk. She’s too unpredictable. Give us just a little more time to come up with something else.”

_ We don’t have time, _ Diana wanted to snap and she saw Gaius’s eyes flick to her. She knew he heard her thoughts, even as she begrudgingly nodded along to Adrian’s proposal.

“A week,” Kamilah decided, her spine straightening. “Just give us a week to come up with a safer solution. If we can’t figure something else out… then we bring back Rheya. In the meantime, we should prepare for her return, just in case.”

“Perhaps a trip to the island is in order,” Adrian added, cupping his chin in his hand. “We could coat a few weapons in Demetrius’s blood to arm ourselves against her.”

“That would be wise.” Kamilah nodded in agreement, crossing her arms across her chest. “I will keep researching. Diana, perhaps you could use your Bloodkeeper abilities to search for a memory that could be useful in finding another solution. And Adrian, you and Gaius can go to the island.”

“Gaius?” Jax blurted, clearly incredulous. “Why him?”

“He has the most power out of all of us to use the Compass,” Kamilah reasoned. Her eyes met Gaius’s as she added, “And the most experience. There’s no need for Diana to go and put herself in danger or risk the Tree reaching out to her again. Her safety comes first.”

A look passed between her and Gaius that Diana could only interpret as approval and respect. Gaius dipped his chin ever so slightly.

“And what am I supposed to do?” Jax butt in, clearly irritated at being excluded from this expedition. 

“Shore up defenses,” Adrian supplied. “Keep this low profile, but tell those who need to know to be prepared to fight or evacuate others if need be. I imagine that even if Rheya turns on us, she would rather use charm and deception to gain control of the city. Total destruction doesn’t seem to be her style, but it is best to be prepared.”

As the others discussed the logistics of the plan, Diana looked to Gaius, reaching down the bond.  _ We don’t have time for this. _ She drew in a shaky breath, rubbing her arms again in a useless attempt to ward off the chill. I  _ don’t have time. _

Gaius’s lips tightened ever so slightly, barely hinting at his displeasure.  _ Then we won’t wait.  _

__ Diana kept her face neutral, tilting her head.  _ You think we should do it on our own? _

_ I don’t think we have much of a choice.  _ He clenched his jaw, glancing over at Kamilah and Adrian, who were pouring over a map of the city.  _ They still believe that Rheya is someone you can prepare for. If we don’t have that kind of time, then we can’t afford to wait for them. _

_ We still need the artifacts,  _ Diana countered, her hand resting over where the amulet lay beneath her shirt. 

_ No,  _ Gaius replied, eyes flicking up to hers.  _ Not all of them. Not for this. _

Diana dropped her hands to her sides, fingers furling into fists.  _ Just the Compass and the Vessel of Gabal. _

_ We already have the Compass. _ Diana didn’t need the bond to follow Gaius’s thoughts as they both looked to Adrian. Gaius asked,  _ You know where it is being kept, don’t you? _

Diana’s gut twisted. She didn’t feel right stealing from Adrian or going back on her promise to always do things together but… Diana shivered, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. They didn’t have a choice. 

_ Yes, but…  _ Diana thought of the chamber below the archives where the Vessel was hidden alongside the ancient sarcophagus they had used for Lily’s Turning. She shared the knowledge with Gaius.  _ It’s heavily guarded.  _

_ You say that as if it will be a challenge,  _ Gaius teased and Diana bit back a smirk. 

_ It is since I don’t plan on having any casualties, _ she chided, sending him a look.  _ There will be at least several guards in the archives, members of Adrian’s clan. I can hold their minds and alter their memories, but I can’t do that and get the Vessel at the same time.  _

_ Then that will be my job,  _ he decided.  _ As soon as we’re done here, we’ll wait a while for everyone to leave and Adrian to go back to doing whatever it is that CEOs do. Then we’ll go.  _

Diana nodded subtly in agreement and turned away. But as Diana’s eyes swept across the room, she realized that Jax was staring at her with his jaw set, brows drawn. Raising her brows, Diana offered him a closed-lipped smile to which he only narrowed his eyes in response. 

Did he suspect something? Diana let out a long breath through her nose, redirecting her attention to Kamilah and Adrian’s planning, even though it was all for naught. 

About twenty minutes later, they finally called it a night, deciding that they would reconvene tomorrow evening to see Gaius and Adrian off to the island to coat blades in Demetrius’s blood. 

“Just one week,” Kamilah reiterated as she grabbed her coat off the back of a velvet armchair, her eyes meeting Diana’s. “One more week to search for a safer solution, then we move forward.”

“One week,” Diana agreed and Kamilah nodded, turning on her heel and making for the door, bidding them all goodnight.

_ You’ve gotten better at lying,  _ Gaius teased and Diana fought back the urge to roll her eyes.

_ I’ve always been good at lying. Just not to you. _

His responding laugh was as soft as midnight, steadying and familiar. Diana felt the ice in her bones thaw, just a little bit.

Jax was the second to leave, calling a goodbye over his shoulder to Diana and Adrian, purposefully leaving Gaius out. Diana watched Gaius huff and roll his eyes as he shrugged on his own coat, then briefly clasped Adrian on the shoulder. “Until tomorrow, Adrian.”

Adrian’s brows lifted a fraction, then he nodded. “Tomorrow.” 

Gaius crossed the room towards the door, holding out his hand to Diana as he passed her.  _ My love. _

She smiled slightly and took it, glancing over at Adrian. Diana felt a tension she didn’t know she bore ease slightly as she noticed Adrian looked unruffled by the gesture. She offered him a small smile. “Goodnight, Adrian.”

His eyes were as kind as ever as he nodded. “Goodnight, you two.”

In the elevator down to the ground floor, Diana leaned into Gaius’s side, body growing weary. His thumb brushed over the back of her hand before he wrapped his arm around her, enveloping her in his warmth. “You’re as cold as ice _. _ ”

Diana closed her eyes, listening to the whir of the lift’s machinery, Gaius’s steady breathing, and his even steadier heartbeat. “I’m running out of time. I can feel it.”

“I know,” he whispered, holding her tighter and kissing her temple. “Just hold on a little while longer,  _ diviana.  _ We’ll fix this.”

Diana’s brows drew together and she abruptly turned, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in the side of his neck. “Gaius if this doesn’t work―”

His arms wrapped around her waist, crushing her to him. “It will.”

“But if it doesn’t, I just need you to know―”

“It  _ will, _ Diana,” Gaius insisted, drawing back a fraction. He unwound one arm, placing his forefinger beneath her chin and tilting her face up to meet his gaze. “You and I have not yet had our time. Nothing and no one will get in the way of that. Not some cursed tree. And certainly not some self-proclaimed bitch of a blood goddess.” He kissed her deeply, fiercely, love and devotion pouring through the bond. He pulled away just as the elevator doors slid open with a  _ ding! _ “I promise you this.”

When he kissed her again, shortly, sweetly, she couldn’t help but believe him.

* * *

Diana brought Gaius to a run-down 24-hour diner to kill time, the same one she had brought Adrian to, back when this whole adventure had first started. They sat in a worn-out leather booth by the window, bathed in the harsh red and blue hues of the diner’s flashing neon sign. Gaius’s arm was draped over the back of the chair, his fingers idly playing with her dark locks as she curled into his side, nursing a milkshake and working through a maze on the back of a kid’s menu with a stubby purple crayon.

“I never got to experience the fifties,” Gaius mused, gazing around at the restaurant, which was decked out in themed memorabilia, movie posters from the period, and even an old jukebox. The place had been refurbished in the last few years, when new management had taken over after the previous owner passed away―although the cheap prices still remained the same.

“Well, neither did I,” Diana teased as she drew several circles around the treasure chest at the center of her maze. “But I certainly loved  _ Grease. _ ”

Gaius lifted a brow, twirling his fork around his empty plate. “Grease?”

“It’s a movie,” she informed him, glancing back at him. “Hm. You probably haven’t really seen any movies, have you?”

He shook his head. “Never really had the time.”

“Right. No television, no phone…” Diana pursed her lips, tapping her crayon against the menu. “When all of this is over, I’ll have to show you a few of my favorites.”

“After I meet your mother?”

Diana grinned, kissing his cheek. “After you meet my mother.”

She liked this. Talking about a future with him. There had once been a time, two years ago, when they had danced around the topic, unwilling to linger on it for fear that it would break the spell that brought them together in the first place. But now, it was something of a comfort. It helped her feel a little less uncertain about the task that lay ahead. 

“How does a place so cheap stay in business in Manhattan?” Gaius wondered as Diana hunted for a maraschino cherry at the bottom of her empty glass. When she raised a brow at him, he rolled his eyes. “I may not be pulling the strings anymore, but it doesn’t take a genius to know that property here is expensive.”

“No, it’s not that,” Diana chuckled, finally drawing out the cherry with her spoon. She pinched the stem between her thumb and forefinger, holding it out to Gaius. As he leaned in, taking the shiny, candy red fruit into his mouth, Diana continued, “I own this place.”

Gaius’s brows rose as he sat back, the cherry snapping free of its stem. “You own this place.”

“Yeah.” Diana shrugged casually, twirling the cherry stem between her fingers. “This place saved my life when I first moved here. I could barely afford to eat at McDonald’s, so this place was my saving grace. When Juan passed, I bought it. Thought I would fix it up a bit.”

His eyes roamed around the restaurant once more, gaze thoughtful as he chewed. At last, he nodded. “You would.”

Diana shoved his shoulder lightly, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Gaius grinned, taking her fingers and lacing them through his. “You seem to have a habit of taking pity on old things and making them feel new again.”

Diana kissed him softly, tasting the cherry’s sweetness on his lips before she pulled away. “It’s all part of my good Samaritan act, as you said, back in Aosta. Helping stray pups find their forever homes and all.”

“You have quite a memory,” Gaius laughed softly, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “That was the first time we spoke in twenty years.”

“Well, I am the Bloodkeeper,” Diana shrugged. “It’s my job to remember.”

Diana pulled away, drawing a few bills from her pocket and setting them on the table, the amount she put down way more than enough to cover five times the amount of what they ordered. “Come on,” she said softly, taking his hand as she slid out of the booth, pulling him with her. “We still have work to do.”

A few minutes later, they hustled down the sidewalk, hand in hand, Raines HQ gleaming like a glittering spire amidst the city lights up ahead of them. As they strode towards the building, Diana remembered the first time she had come upon it for her job interview as Adrian’s assistant. Back then, she had no idea how her life would change forever the moment she stepped through those glass doors. Diana huffed, shaking her head; something about tonight had her feeling sentimental.

“Tell me something,” Gaius murmured as they came upon the block before the building.

Diana squeezed his hand, rifling through her memories before settling on the day she had moved to the city, just to build onto her nostalgia. But before she could reply, a dark shadow landed before them in a blur, vaulting off a fire escape hanging above.

Gaius swore, pinching the bridge of his nose as his irritation flared down the bond.

Jax looked between them, his gaze cool as he asked, “Forget something?”


	27. Chapter 26: Subterfuge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan is in motion.

**_New York, New York, 2044_ **

“Forget something?”

“Jax!” Diana stopped suddenly, pulling Gaius to a halt beside her as Jax rose from a crouch before them on the sidewalk. “ _Hey._ What are you up to?”

Jax looked unamused, his gaze flat as he sized them both up. “You two are up to something. What is it?”

“I just―” Diana waved her hand carelessly, tapping her forehead. “―forgot my phone in Adrian’s office. I think it probably got wedged in the cushions of those velvet seats. You know how it goes.”

 _Forget what I said earlier,_ Gaius sighed into her mind. _You_ are _a bad liar._

She scowled over at him, dropping his hand and stepping forward. “What are _you_ up to?”

“Been following you two,” Jax replied, face drawn. “I had a feeling something was up when neither of you pushed to bring back Rheya sooner. Then you two kept doing that… _thing,_ ” he cringed, waving his hand between them. “And I knew you were plotting something. After I saw you two enter the diner, I thought maybe I was wrong. But I’m pretty sure your apartment is _that_ way, Leigh.” Jax finished, pointing over her shoulder. 

“Do you stalk people often, Matsuo?” Gaius sneered, folding his arms. “Or is this a special occasion?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember you having an issue with stalking when you hunted us _all the way to Japan!_ ” Jax snapped, pointing a stiff finger in Gaius’s direction. “So, excuse me if I don’t listen to the bullshit that comes out of your mouth about morals!”

“Alright, cool it,” Diana scowled, stepping between them and leveling both men with a harsh glare. “Both of you.”

“I’m not the one making a scene on the sidewalk,” Gaius muttered beneath his breath and Diana let out an exasperated sigh.

“Oh, please, it takes a lot more than yelling to draw attention in New York,” Jax huffed, hands clenching into fists at his sides. 

“Nevertheless, there’s no reason to _try_ to make a scene.” Diana pinched the bridge of her nose, already fed up with their bickering. “Just tell us what you think is going on here, Jax.”

“What I _think_ …” Jax began, voice raising in outrage before he caught himself, letting out a harsh breath. He closed his eyes, taking a moment to calm down. “You said you’re running out of time, right, Di? The week that Kamilah and Adrian are asking for… it’ll be too late by then.”

Diana swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes.”

“And we need to bring back Rheya as soon as possible,” Jax stated, leaving no room for uncertainty.

“Yes.”

“And that’s what you two are planning to do,” Jax continued, glancing between them. “That’s why you’re going to Raines HQ. To get the amphora.”

Diana glanced at Gaius, who merely gave her a look that said, _It’s up to you._

“Yes,” she replied, nodding slowly. “But only because it is absolutely necessary―”

“I’m coming with you.”

“I―you―what?” Diana blurted, blinking in confusion. “Did you just say you’re coming with us?”

“Yes,” Jax grumbled, making it clear that he was doing so reluctantly as his eyes flicked to Gaius. “If you say that this is the only thing that will work and that we gotta act now, then I believe you. We’ve spent two years searching for a solution. If we couldn’t come up with one then, we certainly won’t be able to come up with another in just one week.”

“And you don’t think that we need to… prepare more for Rheya?” Diana asked hesitantly, her hand reaching out behind her for Gaius’s. She clung to his fingers, her hope growing at this turn of events. 

“There’s no preparing for that bitch,” Jax huffed, shaking his head. “Nothing we did before to prepare helped. The only thing that worked against her was you.”

Behind her, Gaius huffed. Diana felt his amusement and begrudging respect trickle through the bond. _He’s actually right about something for once._

 _The two of you actually agree more often than you think,_ Diana shot back. _If you two would just stop arguing all the time, you would see how alike you two are sometimes._

 _Don’t push it,_ diviana.

Diana sighed, holding out her palm. “I think we can handle getting pass a few guards and retrieving the amphora on our own, Jax, but if you want to help―”

“I _said_ that I’m coming with you,” Jax repeated resolutely, his stance firm in their path. “Besides, you need me.”

Gaius scoffed. “And what has ever led you to believe that?”

“Because Adrian has more than a few guards on patrol now,” Jax snapped back, gritting his teeth. “Since you were last here, he’s upped the ante. There’s a new datapad that requires a code and a fingerprint scan to get into the chamber. He was going to add your biometrics when you returned, but everyone’s been a bit busy.”

“You could just give us the code,” Gaius frowned, clearly displeased.

“You would still need my fingerprints,” Jax said smugly, wiggling his fingers between them.

Gaius huffed and rolled his eyes, flicking out a small blade from his coat pocket. “We can work around that.”

“ _Gaius,_ ” Diana scolded, dropping his hand and whirling on him. “He’s offering to help us. Put that away!”

 _I wasn’t actually going to do anything,_ Gaius complained into her mind. Diana could practically hear the pout in his voice.

I _know that, but he doesn’t!_ She groaned, a muscle in her brow twitching in annoyance. _Just try to get along with him? No threats. Even fake ones._

A muscle in his jaw feathered and he exhaled sharply through his nose. _Fine._

Diana sighed, turning back to Jax as she rubbed her temples. God, it was like managing children. She gave him a long look, sizing him up. “You’re sure you want to do this? Kamilah and Adrian won’t be happy.”

“The way I see it, it’s not Kamilah and Adrian’s lives that are directly at stake,” Jax reasoned with a shrug. “If you say we have to move now, then we’ll move now. You know I’ll always have your back, Di. You’ve always been rooting for me, even when I was just some Clanless grunt.”

“You were never just some Clanless grunt, Jax,” Diana chuckled softly and reached out to clasp Jax’s shoulder, touched. Her eyes prickled faintly with tears and her heart warmed at the sentiment. “But thank you. If you want to come with us, I won’t stop you.”

“I wasn’t asking, but good.” Jax nodded and Diana shoved him lightly, sending him a look that said, _Do not push me._ He grinned, holding up his hands in surrender. But his expression fell as his eyes traveled beyond Diana, landing on Gaius. He stepped around Diana, jaw set, and the air grew taut once more with tension.

Gaius stared down at Jax, face impassive, eyebrow raised. Then, he held out his hand. “Allies.”

Jax’s gaze fell to Gaius’s hand, then lifted back to his face, brows drawn. He pressed his lips into a harsh line, then firmly gripped Gaius’s hand with a stiff nod. “For now.” Jax let go first, stepping back and shoving his hands into his pockets. “I still hate you, you know.”

Gaius huffed and Diana could tell he was resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “That’s fair.”

“Right. Well. Now that that is settled,” Diana said slowly, glancing between them before slowly backing up the street. “We should get going. Before the sun turns you both to dust.”

Jax merely grunted in agreement and followed, with Gaius bringing up the rear. They made it to Raine’s HQ without any further delay. Diana greeted the doorman warmly, who smiled and tipped his hat. “Ms. Leigh. Shall I ring Mr. Raines and tell him you’re here?”

“No, that’s alright, he’s expecting us,” she replied, urging her companions towards the elevator and pulling her master keycard from her back pocket. She pressed the call button and the doors slid open not even a moment later, welcoming them inside. Diana swiped her card, pressing the button for the basement. 

As the elevator spurred into action, Diana sauntered up to Gaius, who stood with his hands behind his back, eyes fixed on the digital display as it ticked through the sublevels. She nudged his elbow with hers, glancing at him out of the side of her eye. _See. I can lie._

Gaius rolled his eyes but she saw the corner of his lip curve. _Telling a decent lie every once in a while doesn’t make you a good liar._

 _It’s all about the little victories,_ she replied with a shrug, her gaze falling on the chrome doors of the elevator, their muddled reflections staring back at them. 

On her other side, Jax huffed, wrinkling his nose. “I know you guys aren’t saying anything, but I just _know_ you still are. And it’s weird.”

Diana chuckled but relented. “Fine. We won’t do it anymore.” She glanced at both of them. “You guys know what to do, right? I’ll deal with the guards, and you two get into the Turning chamber and get the amphora.”

“Nobody actually told me the plan beforehand,” Jax admitted, flexing his hands. “But it sounds simple enough.”

“Good,” Gaius muttered, his jaw tense. “Because we’re here.”

The doors slid open, spitting them out into the dusty archive. Immediately, two guards framing the elevator spun, lips parting to deter them but brows furrowing in confusion when their eyes fell first on Diana, then Jax and Gaius. Several more guards turned in their direction, all of them poised between the elevator and the entrance to the Turning chamber. 

Diana cleared her throat, stepping forward. “We’re here to check on the amphora.”

“I…” The guard nearest Diana cleared her throat, glancing at her companions hesitantly. “We’re not supposed to let anyone through without Mr. Raines present.”

“Adrian sent us,” Diana replied in her most soothing voice, meeting everyone’s gaze. She subtly casted out threads of her influence, small tendrils of psychic power that curled around their minds, not to bend, but to encourage. She could see it working, the way the guards’ faces slackened, how they shifted their feet.

Jax and Gaius crossed the threshold of the elevator, each pausing by her side. The guard nearest to the chamber door glanced around, his resolve wavering. He reached for the comm pinned to his shirt collar. “Of course. Let me just call him… to confirm.” He swallowed, throat bobbing. He was clearly nervous. Diana didn’t know if it was because of her, Gaius, or Jax. They all had a bit of a reputation. “You know, protocol and all.”

“Of course. I understand,” Diana smiled warmly as she nodded, although she spared Gaius the slightest of glances.

_Now._

As the guard’s thumb pressed against the button on his comm, Diana waved her hand, the gesture effortless as the threads of psychic power strengthened, holding their minds in place. She closed her eyes, slipping into her own mind palace and drawing their consciousnesses with her so she could begin altering their memories, making them forget they were even here, while Jax made for the chamber.

Diana felt Gaius’s hand lightly graze the small of her back, a comforting gesture. _Go,_ she urged him. _Be quick._

Diana sensed rather than saw his confirmation and felt the air shift around her as Gaius disappeared from her side to join Jax. She set to work, examining each of the guards’ memories of the last few minutes, cutting and splicing the pieces together to exclude her, Gaius, and Jax. She looped the memories that came before their arrival, skimming through hours of monotony, as she simultaneously learned their personalities in order to fabricate interactions between them and replace the memories she removed. 

Admittedly, it was not her best work. Her job here was more like a quick patch up as opposed to the delicate tapestry of woven memory she had perfected the art of creating when she had time, but it would have to do. She heard the clicking of a keypad, an electronic hum, and a faint beep. Then a door swung open, its hinges squealing. The sound echoed in the hollow stone chamber beyond. 

Amidst everything that was going on, Diana distantly became aware of the whirr of machinery beneath the echoing steps of Gaius and Jax. A sense of foreboding rose in her, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

 _Hurry_ , she called down the bond, feeling a cold sweat break out along her forehead as she touched up her work on the guards’ memories. 

Diana felt a wave of Gaius’s presence wash over her, calm and reassuring. _Coming_.

She relaxed ever so slightly, drawing in a deep breath as she slowly left her mind palace, leaving behind the swirling nebulae for the stale and dusty interior of the archive. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Adrian’s clan members looked dazed, staring absently into space, their faces calm and peaceful.

Diana breathed a sigh of relief as Jax and Gaius emerged from the shadowy passageway that led down to the sub-basement levels, an object bound in thick cloth tucked beneath Gaius’s arm. 

“All good?” Jax asked, lightly shoving Gaius before him as he brought up the rear, prepared to cover their retreat, just in case.

“As good as can be,” Diana nodded, wiping at her brow as she slowly loosened her hold on the guards, spooling back her psychic threads. 

“You’re incredible,” Gaius whispered, ducking to plant a quick kiss on her lips as he passed by, pressing the elevator call button with his elbow. Jax paused by her side, resting his hand on her shoulder as he kept an eye on the guards, who still stared ahead, caught in a dream-like haze.

“You know, I’m glad you’re on our side,” Jax laughed lightly, clearly impressed, and Diana gave him a weary grin.

“No place I’d rather be,” she replied, relinquishing the last of her hold just as the elevator doors slid open behind her. The guards would go back to normal in a few minutes, but by then, they would be long gone.

“Gaius? What is going on here?”

Diana’s stomach plummeted as she whirled, lips parting in surprise when her gaze fell on Adrian. He stood in the threshold of the elevator, clearly confused. His eyes met hers, then Jax’s, and then moved on to take in the scene beyond them. Diana watched as his brows drew together, shock turning into worry and then, as the realization dawned on him, anger. 

Adrian grimaced, demanding, “What is this?”

He turned to Gaius, his glare intensifying as he caught sight of the bundle beneath Gaius’s arm. Adrian began to reach for it. “I thought we all agreed earlier that―”

“Adrian, we need to―” Jax began, shifting to put himself between Adrian and the amphora at the same time Gaius twisted away from Adrian's outstretched hand and snapped, “ _Diana._ ”

Pressing her lips into a frown, Diana realized what she had to do to get them out of here as quickly as possible, her stomach knotting in disapproval. Adrian broke off mid sentence, attention shifting to Diana as she darted forward, power rushing to her fingertips. Confusion flickered across his countenance as she came at him and he took a cautious step back.

“I’m sorry, Adrian,” Diana whispered as she reached up, pressing her fingertips to his temple and sending out a psychic blast that knocked him out cold. 

Diana grunted as she caught Adrian, gently lowering him to the ground. She felt guilt gnaw away at her insides as she crouched over him, gazing down at his peaceful, slumbering form.

Jax let out a low whistle. “Well. That complicated things.”

Diana sighed, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. “We need to get out of here before the guards come around. I’ll work on Adrian in the elevator.”

“Here,” Gaius said, handing off the amphora to her. “I’ll carry him.”

As Gaius heaved Adrian over his shoulder with startling ease, Diana looked to Jax. “I don’t have a lot of time to work carefully, so I’m just going to pull Adrian’s memories of us and put him in a deep sleep. That should give us enough time to clear out and do what we need to do before he wakes up and realizes the Vessel is gone.” She entered the elevator as Gaius set Adrian on the floor against the wall and pressed the buttons for the ground floor and Adrian’s penthouse. “Can you two take him back to his room?”

“Both of us? What are you going to do?” Jax questioned, crossing into the lift just as the doors began to slide shut.

Gaius looked to Diana as well as if to say, _What_ are _you going to do?_

Diana chewed her lip, keeping her eyes trained on Adrian’s slumbering face as she replied, “We’ll reconvene at the opera house. That’s where Rheya died, so that’s where I have to get her. There’s one more person I need to recruit. Then, we’ll get this over with.”

And before they could ask any more questions, Diana closed her eyes and dove into Adrian’s mind.

* * *

Diana gazed out at the empty rows of plush red chairs stretched out before her as she stood on the dark stage of the opera house, her mind working. She had not been in this building since that fateful night, twenty-four years ago. There were too many memories here. Too much pain.

Diana could not quite bring herself to venture backstage yet―backstage, where the fight had first begun, where her best friend had given her life to save hers. Sometimes, Diana dreamed she was in this opera house, not on that night, but like she was now. Visiting, like a mourner coming to grieve over a headstone. In all of her dreams, the theater was decrepit, crumbling at the seams and full of shadows. It was always haunted, with the ghost of Lily and everyone else they had lost.

But as Diana stood on that stage, gazing out at the theater’s dim interior, lit only by the ambient wall lights, she realized that it was just another building. There was nothing here to hurt her. And nothing left to grieve over.

Diana’s heart felt heavy as she gazed down at the golden amulet in her palm, its pale green stone dull in the low light. She closed her eyes, focusing on the Compass’s signature: ancient, mysterious, and otherworldly. Taking a deep breath, she let her own presence mingle with it, amplifying its distinct signature as she loosened her damper on her powers.

She had no idea if this would work, but she had to try.

The backs of Diana’s eyelids burned red as the Mercurian Compass began to glow like a star, her power pouring into it, but not activating it. Their combined signatures swelled, pulsing throughout Manhattan like a beacon―a lighthouse, that beckoned only those who knew how to look for it. _Come find me,_ she thought, her voice mixed in with all of those she heard whenever she used the Compass. _Come find me._

Diana waited, letting her power run loose for a few moments more, potent tendrils of it wicking off of her like flames in the wind. Then, she gradually drew her energy back in, putting a damper on her presence. The amulet dimmed and when Diana opened her eyes, she saw that nothing had changed.

Diana released the Compass, her hands falling back to her sides. Now, all she could do was wait and hope that her message had been received. 

She wandered along the length of the stage until she came across a sleek grand piano. The bench creaked as she sat down upon it and carefully lifted the lid that covered the polished ivory keys. She pressed down on one of the keys, the lone note echoing throughout the cavernous room.

Back in Norway, Gaius had told her he knew how to play the piano. It was one of his few hobbies from the old days that didn’t involve scheming, fighting, or indulging. She still had yet to hear him play… but perhaps when this was all over, she would ask him to. Until then, she could make her own music.

Diana drew in a deep breath as she splayed her fingers across the keys, poised to play a chord she no longer knew the name of but her muscles remembered fondly. She had not played in years, perhaps not even in the tail end of her mortal life. But she could still hear the songs she played over and over again on the ancient piano in her childhood home. She closed her eyes, flexed her fingers, and then began to play.

The song came haltingly at first as she eased into the long-forgotten skill, but gradually, the music came together in a hauntingly beautiful piece that reminded Diana of the sparkling sea and the space between stars. She couldn’t help but marvel at her own capacity to engage in such a delicate art. Some days, it seemed as if all these hands were capable of was killing. 

“That is a beautiful song, _ma chérie,_ ” someone said softly. “But that is not why you have called me here, is it?”

Diana did not reply, finishing the melody she was gliding through before she finally paused and opened her eyes. When she turned to her right, she saw Serafine, sitting in the front row of the auditorium’s seats.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” Diana said at last, sliding the cover back into place over the keys as she stood and crossed back to the center of the stage. “About Rheya.”

She silently observed the way Serafine’s eyes flared and her knuckles went white, her fingers gripping the arms of her seat. “What about Rheya, exactly?”

“That she’s capable of doing good.” Diana picked her words carefully. The less lying she did now, the better off she would be later. “And that I can achieve more with her help.”

“So, you plan to bring her back,” Serafine breathed, her hope stealing into the air like a plague. “Our Goddess.”

 _Self-proclaimed,_ Diana thought snidely, although she bit her tongue and let Serafine’s comment slide. “Yes. I need her help to stop the Tree of Eternal Death’s influence from spreading. From corrupting people and Turning them into Ferals.” 

“So that’s what I have sensed,” Serafine wondered aloud, her brows pulling together as her eyes fell to the floor. “The darkness growing on the horizon.” 

“Yes. And we don’t have much time,” Diana nodded gravely, folding her hands behind her back. It was something Gaius would do, she realized after she had already done it. He was rubbing off on her. “Which is why I am bringing her back tonight.”

Serafine stiffened, whipping her head up and zeroing in on Diana, clearly hanging on to her every word. She echoed, “Tonight.”

Diana was about to respond when she heard the front doors to the opera house atrium bang open, signalling Jax and Gaius’s arrival. Diana’s gaze flicked to the back of the room, just as a second set of doors swung open, admitting the two men who both looked distinctly irritated. Clearly, they had just been arguing once again. Diana returned her attention to Serafine as she replied, “Now.”

Diana just barely caught the way Serafine inhaled sharply, her eyes widening as she looked to her companions. “How did it go?”

“Fine,” Jax grumbled, stalking down the aisle towards the stage. 

Diana raised a brow and looked to Gaius, who calmly strolled behind the other man. _How did it really go?_

 _We didn’t try to kill each other,_ Gaius offered and she pursed her lips.

 _Well, that’s something,_ Diana sighed inwardly. _Why is Jax upset?_

_Takeshi._

Diana winced slightly. That was a sore topic for Jax, even when he just was speaking with her _. He brought him up?_

 _No. I did._ Gaius shook his head when she raised her brows. _I wanted to apologize._

 _And he didn’t like that,_ Diana inferred which earned her a knowing smirk.

 _You know he didn’t. But ― _ he sighed down the bond _―h_ _is feelings are justified._

She brushed up against his mind consolingly. _He’ll come around eventually._

_Perhaps._

Gaius paused as he and Jax reached the first row of seats, finally taking notice of the woman who sat there. His eyes narrowed and Diana felt his displeasure roll off of him in waves just as Jax’s hands clenched into fists, his arm stretching back for his katana. Gaius’s lip curled with distaste. “Serafine.”

Jax looked to Diana, skeptical. “ _This_ is who you wanted to get?”

“Yes,” she nodded, glancing at Serafine, who went tense as she glared back at Gaius. “She can help us smooth things over with Rheya. She’ll help us convince Rheya to stop Demetrius’s influence from spreading. Right, Serafine?”

Serafine blinked, breaking her staredown with Gaius to look up at Diana. “I… Yes. Of course.”

“Seriously?” Jax questioned, glancing between the two women. “So we’re just going to trust her now? After she attacked the both of you? Twice?” Jax turned to Gaius. “Tell me you don’t approve of this."

That was interesting, Diana noted. How Jax suddenly seemed to value the other man’s input. Perhaps Gaius’s apology had garnered a bit of mutual respect. The slightest bit, perhaps, but a bit nonetheless. 

Gaius looked to Diana, jaw set and eyes questioning. _Why are you doing this?_

 _It’s the only way Serafine will ever find closure,_ Diana replied, lifting her chin resolutely. 

_Does she know?_ Gaius asked. _That Rheya must die?_

 _Not yet. I haven’t figured out how to tell her._ She pursed her lips. _Once we convince Rheya, then we can deal with Serafine. It might be easier for her to accept Rheya’s fate if Rheya is the one who tells her._

 _It sounds like this is more for Serafine’s benefit than ours._ Gaius looked at the woman in question, his brow creasing as he studied her.

He was right. But that didn’t make it any less necessary. _She deserves a chance to move on, Gaius. Just like the rest of us._

Gaius’s lips pressed into a hard line, then after a long moment, he nodded. _You are by far the most gracious person I know._

He turned to Jax, sighing. “It’s Diana’s call. I trust her, and if she trusts Serafine, then so do I.”

Jax grimaced, glancing from Gaius, to Serafine, and finally to Diana. His hands flexed at his sides, itching to reach for his sword. But ultimately, he tipped his chin and muttered, “Fine."

Diana let out a long breath between her teeth and nodded. She wiped her palms―which had gone clammy with nerves over what lay ahead―against her jeans, “Good. Now that we’re all settled, I see no reason to wait any longer.”

She crossed the stage to retrieve the Vessel of Gabal where she had stashed it behind the piano and brought it back to center stage. Diana heard Serafine’s faint gasp as she unwrapped the amphora from the cloth it was bound in, revealing its hand-painted surface, inlaid with gold leaf.

“Incredible,” Serafine breathed as Diana sat down on the edge of the stage with her legs crossed, the Vessel resting in her lap. She withdrew the Mercurian Compass from beneath her shirt and held the amulet in her palm.

“Serafine. You were looking for the Vessel, so you must know a bit about it,” Diana said, fixing her gaze on her. “I just collect Rheya’s ashes, come back, and that’s it?”

“ _Oui._ ” Serafine got to her feet and sauntered to the stage’s edge, resting her hip against the wall. “Although you need one more thing.”

“And what is that?” Gaius demanded, folding his arms.

Serafine cut him a glance, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. She was clearly not pleased with his tone. “A drop of blood, _ma chérie_ , from the descendant of the resurrected.”

“Is that so?” Gaius scowled, his jaw a brutal line. 

Diana frowned. “So this whole time… You weren’t just after the artifacts. You were after me.”

Serafine nodded slowly and Diana recognized the look in her dark eyes as apologetic. “Yes, Diana. But not just for your blood. I… I always wanted you to be a part of this. To embrace our Goddess and your own power.” She hesitantly laid her hand on Diana’s knee. “I know that you have suffered greatly. And because of that, I have always wanted you to know happiness. Of all the miracles Rheya could grant us, I wanted yours to be among the first.”

“So you _hunted us_?” Gaius snapped, raising a sharp brow. 

“Yes,” Serafine admitted, her brows knitting together. “I tried to convince you when I could, I swear. But I could not put Diana’s needs above that of my fellow Daughters. They have waited― _hoped_ for too long. I could not deny them their miracle.”

“So what, you would have kidnapped Diana if you had to?” Jax snarled, eyes glinting red in the low light.

Serafine glanced away, ashamed. “Yes.”

Jax’s hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword and he stepped forward, starting to slide it free before Gaius threw his arm out, stopping him. Jax’s eyes went wide, his head snapping in Gaius’s direction. “Seriously―?”

“ _Jax._ ” Diana cut in, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Let it go. It…” She wanted to say it was in the past, but it wasn’t. This new information left her unnerved, but she couldn’t afford to think about that right now. She needed to stay focused. They could come back to Serafine and her skewed morals later. “Not now.”

Jax huffed, his knuckles growing white as he gripped his hilt tighter. He scowled, shaking his head and slid the sword back in its sheath, muttering under his breath. But he made no move for Serafine.

Diana closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “Just one drop of blood?”

“ _Oui,_ ” Serafine confirmed. “It will be her starting point. How she becomes corporeal again.”

Diana chewed her lip, then nodded. “So be it.”

Everyone fell silent at that―as if the reality of what they were about to do finally set in. Diana was going to go back in time and resurrect her greatest enemy.

“So we’re really doing this?” Jax asked, voicing their collective thoughts. “We’re bringing her back?”

“Looks like it,” Gaius muttered, his gaze settling on Diana, who had seemed to withdraw into herself.

Diana gazed down at the Compass and swiped her thumb over the pale green stone, lost in thought. This was the first artifact she had dreamed of, the first one she had found. This was the one that began this entire adventure, that led her to her beloved. She took a deep breath, steeling her nerves. “Does anyone have a knife?”

It was Gaius who stepped forward, drawing a blade from the inside of his coat. He strode up to the edge of the stage, cupping the back of Diana’s hand in his palm and holding the knife’s edge inches above her tender flesh.

“Are you certain that I cannot go with you?” he whispered softly, voice just loud enough so that only she could hear. His blue eyes were swimming with concern and great reluctance. He didn’t want to let her go. And that was fair because she didn’t want to leave. 

Diana tried to look confident and brave for both of their sakes, although she certainly didn’t feel it. She nodded. “I have to do this alone. It’s what Demetrius said. And he’s right.”

Gaius pursed his lips. Diana could see the conflict warring behind his eyes, the urge to run. He leaned forward, cupping the back of her neck with his free hand as he pressed his forehead to hers. “I wish I could take you and run for the hills, _diviana._ Far away from here.”

She smiled sadly, shaking her head. “We can’t outrun this. You know that.”

“I do,” he murmured, cobalt blue eyes searching hers. “But I still wish we could.”

“Wishing is for stars,” she whispered, and before he could reply, she leaned in, pressing her lips to his. The kiss was soft, gentle. She felt his lashes flutter against her cheek, like the wings of a nightingale. Diana drew back first, knowing that if she didn’t do so now, she would lose her will. “I love you.”

“Love doesn’t even begin to cover it.” Gaius’s eyes shone in the dim light with a new intensity as he cupped her cheek, fingers reaching into her hair and thumb swiping over her skin. “Just come back to me, okay? We are not done yet.”

“I’ll come back,” Diana echoed. “I promise.”

Gaius held her gaze for one more moment, then nodded, pulling away. He squeezed her hand once before holding it steady beneath his blade. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” Diana breathed, gritting her teeth as the razor-sharp edge bit into her palm. Blood welled up, vibrant and ruby red. 

As Diana gripped the Mercurian Compass and it flared to life, Gaius leaned in, sliding the blade into her belt. He pressed his lips to her temple once as he murmured, “Come back to me.”

Diana met his gaze as a thousand voices whispered not _where_ but _When?_

If there was any doubt that whoever was on the other side was helping her, it was certainly gone now.

Diana closed her eyes. She could no longer keep track of the exact date the battle with Rheya had occurred, but she could recall the events of that night with perfect clarity. As she envisioned it, she felt a hum of approval resound through the Compass and her eyelids blazed red with light. There was a blinding flash, and then she was gone. 


	28. Chapter 27: The First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the sap of the tree rests in the blessed chalice, the skies shall turn red, the earth will be torn asunder, and the First shall walk again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: blood, violence, and death.

**_New York, New York 2020_ **

_ The first thing Diana notices is the sound of the crowd, chattering to her left.  _

_ When she opens her eyes, she sees that she is backstage, nestled amongst props, rope, and bags weighted with sand. Diana crouches, setting the amphora on the ground beside a crate and lifting up the thick velvet curtain that dissects the stage in half to peer beneath it.  _

_ “Impossible,” she whispers, her eyes confirming what her ears already know. Thousands of people file into the opera house, which is now well-lit and bubbling with energy. The scene before her is a far cry from the one she had just left only moments ago. Which means the Compass worked.  _

_ She is in the past. _

_ Diana glances around briefly before lowering the curtain and retreating into the maze of props. No sign of Rheya yet. She must be in a dressing room.  _

_ A door bangs open nearby and Diana whips her head in that direction, instinctively crouching behind a box filled with trinkets. She has no idea how time travel works―she had not even fully believed it to be possible until now―but she can’t imagine that being seen is a good thing.  _

_ Diana watches, shell shocked as her companions enter the backstage area with Gaius at the helm. Her heart pounds almost painfully at the sight of him, recognizing that the fury on his face is not just part of their act. She can sense his pain and anger, as clearly as if it were her own. She doesn’t know if that is because of her abilities or their bond. Either way, she now understands why their deception stood no chance against Rheya.  _

_ As Diana’s eyes settle on her past self, she is overcome with the strangest sensation. She feels as if she is looking at someone that is both familiar yet completely foreign. It is her face, but everything is wrong. It is as if she has just come home to find that something is horribly out of place but she can’t quite figure out what it is. _

_ Diana’s attention is quickly stolen by a shock of purple hair. She clamps her hand over her mouth, stifling the sob that bubbles up from her lips. Her throat strains with the urge to cry out as she silently mouths, “Lily.” _

_ Diana thinks she is going to faint. She sinks to her knees before they can go out beneath her, her body beginning to tremble. That is  _ Lily _ , her best friend who she has not seen like this, alive and in the flesh, in twenty-four years. She is alive, alive,  _ alive―

_ “Well, well. What have we here?” _

_ Diana’s breath catches and her hand falls uselessly to her side. _

_ Rheya. _

_ She feels the rage build up in her, her power roiling beneath her skin in response to Rheya’s,  _ begging _ to be used. And amidst it all, there is also fear, spreading like ice throughout her chest. The entire room is practically soaked with it. Her’s, her past self’s, Gaius’s _ ― _ everyone’s. Diana knew that for Rheya, it was intoxicating. Sweeter than even nectar.  _

_ Gaius steps forward, placing himself between Rheya and the group, but most notably, in front of Diana’s past self. She is not sure if it is coincidence or something he instinctively did without knowing. Her gut wrenches in disgust at his next words, knowing that they taste just as vile on his tongue as they sound horrid in her ears. “My Goddess, I have done what you asked. I’ve captured the traitors and brought them to you.” _

_ “I see…” Rheya replies, her dark gaze searching his face, lingering on the self-satisfied smirk. “So you’ve truly done it.” _

_ Diana’s hands curl into fists, dread pooling in her gut.  _ She knows,  _ she wants to say _ . She already knows. 

_ “Yes, my Goddess. All for you.” Diana knows the smile on his face is false, but it stirs something wicked and beastly in her heart. Rheya does not deserve it. She never has. _

_ “And you brought them… here?” Rheya says slowly, her eyes trailing over her prisoners. _

_ “They’re all drugged, their arms bound with titanium. Believe me. They’re yours.” _

_ Diana feels nauseous as Rheya reaches out to caress the side of Gaius’s face and he leans into her touch, adoration written across his face. She wants to break Rheya’s hands for even touching him, especially knowing how much it makes his skin crawl. _

_ “Good work, my soldier,” Rheya purrs, full lips spreading into a brilliant smile. Then she leans to kiss him, long and deep. It takes all of Diana’s restraint not to hurl herself through these crates and drive the knife at her hip into Rheya’s heart, even if it won’t do a damn thing. She watches as Gaius tenses and involuntarily shudders, his chest heaving against her. _

_ When Rheya finally pulls away, Diana feels like she can breathe again. She unfurls her fingers, her palms stinging. She glances down, observing as small crescent-shaped cuts in her hands heal over before her eyes. Diana shifts her attention to Rheya just in time to catch the tail end of her past self’s staring contest with Rheya. _

_ “My. How brave you are,” Rheya hums, tilting her head as she studies past-Diana and the others. Then she turns to Gaius, crossing to him in two long strides. Diana’s heart twists as the former priestess draws Gaius’s  _ gladius  _ from its sheath.  _

_ Gaius glances between his sword and Rheya. “My Goddess?” _

_ “I can feel their hearts pounding, my soldier. I can feel their blood race. They’re afraid…” Rheya drawls, weighing the Roman blade in her hands thoughtfully. “But not afraid _ enough! _ ” _

_ Diana squeezes her eyes shut, turning away as Rheya whirls, slashing the blade clean through Gaius’s stomach. She feels his shock and pain, clenching her jaw hard when she hears the harsh  _ crack!  _ as Rheya backhands him. Crates splinter as Gaius crashes through them, thudding to the ground.  _

_ The rest of her friends lunge into action, drawing their blades and baring their fists to engage Rheya. But Diana knows it’s all pointless. She forces herself to watch, knowing that an end is drawing near.  _

_ It does feel good. To watch her past self blast Rheya across the room like a rag doll, even if the victory is short-lived. The others dive to restrain her, pinning her limbs in place as past-Diana rushes forward with a blade coated in black blood, only to be tackled by Vlad. Idiot.  _

_ Diana holds her breath as the blade flies into Rheya’s hand. She watches numbly, unable to even process their conversation, the rage and pain that flickers across Rheya’s countenance as she winds up and hurls the blackened dagger, right into _ ―

_ Silent tears drip onto Diana’s thighs as she watches Lily shove her past self out of the way, as the blade sinks deep into her chest.  _

_ Diana bites down hard on the side of her fist to stop herself from crying out in anguish. She is not prepared for this. Not prepared to see Lily _ ―

_ She hears her past self scream, a heart wrenching, horrid sound that reverberates with her own aching soul. Watching this scene unfold before her feels like reopening a gaping wound.  _

_ Rheya and Vlad flee for the stage, but Diana’s eyes are glued to the spot where her best friend has collapsed. Lily’s veins pulse black, dark blood bubbling up from her lips like tar.  _

_ “Diana, no… don’t cry. Please don’t cry,” Lily rasps, reaching up with trembling fingers to wipe away tears. “Please don’t let the last thing I see be you crying.” _

_ Diana emits a weak, broken noise, that sounds like the cry of a wounded animal and she bites down harder on her hand, although everyone else is far too occupied to hear her. _ These are Lily’s last words,  _ she thinks, listening intently, even though she already knows her speech by heart.  _

_ “I already died once, Diana…and then I got a second chance,” Lily whispers, her breath rattling in her chest. “And I got to do so much…” She smiles faintly. “I got to be a vampire. I ran across rooftops. I went to Prague, and Japan, and a magical island. I fought monsters! I got to be… a total badass…”  _

_ Diana’s heart shatters into pieces.  _

_ “And… I got to know you.”  _

_ Diana had forgotten this pain, how vile and vicious it was. But now it tears through her anew, ripping her to shreds. She is left gasping, trembling alone behind dusty props and crates of rotting wood as two best friends say their final goodbyes.  _

_ “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” Lily’s chest rises and falls weakly. “I love you, Diana. You were… the best… best friend… I’ve ever had…” _

_ “Lily… I love you, too,” her past self croaks as Diana mouths the words from afar. “I love you too, Lil. So, so much.” _

_ Every word after that feels like a blade to the chest, slowly being twisted. Diana watches through bleary eyes as their mouths move, watches as Kamilah leans over to hold Lily, then holds the tip of a stake to her chest.  _

_ “And… remember me,” Lily whispers, her voice weak and failing her. She takes one last look around her, then nods. “Okay… I’m ready.” _

_ Diana can do nothing but watch, her heart in jagged little pieces, as Kamilah pushes the stake in. Lily gasps once, and then, she is gone. _

_ Diana sits back from her knees, reeling with the loss of her best friend all over again. How? How had she expected to come back here and survive this once more? _

_ She wraps her arms around her knees and stares blankly at ground as the rest of the battle unfolds. She feels the ground tremble with her rage and agony, and if she is being honest, she is uncertain how much of it is her past self’s and how much is hers now.  _

_ Every detail of this night has been committed to memory. She knows how it goes. She knows when she quickly dispatches Vlad and then Serafine. When she storms onto the stage to confront Rheya in front of ten thousand mindless mortals. She hears the sounds of struggle, hears Gaius’s agonized screams as he uses himself as a distraction. Diana feels her soul splinter into two as Rheya drains the life from him. _

Yes _ , she thinks, numbly.  _ Even then, we were meant to be.

_ When it goes silent, Diana knows it is almost over. She senses sorrow and resignation settle throughout the theater as Rheya learns the truth. She is no Goddess. Just a monster.  _

_ “Do it. End me,” Rheya says numbly beyond the curtain. Then _ ― _ “END ME!” _

_ Diana feels the shift in the air as raw power is drawn out of Rheya and into her past self. She squeezes her eyes shut, gritting her teeth as she hears the moment she almost loses herself to a lust for power, to her desire to bring back what she has lost. She silently hopes that will never happen again, that this mad plan will work. _

_ And then, it is over.  _

_ Diana waits amidst other forgotten and broken things as the crowd funnels out and her friends disappear, pausing to collect Lily’s ashes. She stays in her hiding place until the lights go out, leaving her in darkness, and she is certain that everyone is gone.  _

_ At long last, she grabs the Vessel and unfolds herself, muscles burning from being held in such a tight position. Her legs feel unsteady beneath her as she stumbles forward, eyes burning anew with tears as she crosses into the space where Lily gasped her last breaths. Small bits of ash still litter the polished wooden floor. _

_ Diana clutches the amphora tightly to her chest, momentarily thinking to scavenge whatever is left of Lily and ditch this entire plan, just for a chance to bring back her best friend. Diana stoops, her knees brushing the ground, one hand outstretched to sweep up the ash. It’s no matter that she is not of Lily’s blood. When she returns to the present, she can find someone who is. She can ask them for a drop of blood. She will take it if she has to.  _

_ But then she pauses, unable to continue forward. _

_ She can’t.  _

_ This isn’t what Lily would have wanted. Beyond resurrection going against the laws of nature, Lily would not have wanted Diana to throw away her only chance at stopping Demetrius and saving the world to bring her back.  _

_ Diana swears, damning Rheya’s name to the heavens, hoping that even the gods feel her anguish. _

_ Then she straightens, gritting her teeth, and makes for the stage. _

_ Rheya’s ashes are still scattered across the polished floor. Diana scowls, wrinkling her nose in disgust before she sets the Vessel of Gabal on the ground and goes to retrieve a broom from backstage. _

_ She makes quick work of the mess, sweeping Rheya’s ashes into a neat pile. If it weren’t for her time crunch and how tedious it had been sweeping all of her up, Diana would blow on the cluster of ash, just to spite the former priestess. Instead, she scoops it into the dustpan and dumps it into the amphora.  _

_ Diana stares at the Vessel, holding her breath for a few long moments, but nothing happens. She glances down at the blade hooked in the loop of her belt, Gaius’s parting gift. Right. She still needs her blood. _

_ For a moment, she debates waiting until she returns to the present to bring Rheya back, but she quickly realizes that would only put the others at risk. And while she has gotten better at accepting help from others, this is a task only she can handle. _

_ Diana nicks her finger on the tip of the knife and watches as a pearl of blood beads at the edge of her fingertip. Then she glances down into the shadowy interior of the amphora. She takes a deep breath, then squeezes her fingertip over the amphora before her wound can seal over. It feels like an eternity passes before the droplet of blood swells, then falls into the abyss.  _

_ Diana sits back and places the lid of the Vessel in place. _

_ Then she waits.  _

_ She hears a sifting sound first, her blood taking root among the ashes. Then, something  _ cracks.  _ Diana watches as hairline fractures spiderweb throughout the ceramic, splintering the hand-painted image detailed upon it. The figure in the golden mask is cleaved into two, flakes of gold leaf fluttering to the ground. A sudden gust of phantom wind blows Diana’s hair back and she gasps as light begins to filter through the cracks in the amphora.  _

_ The light grows, blindingly bright, and Diana has to look away, shielding her face against the glow. There is a beat of silence, as if the whole world is holding its breath. Then, the Vessel of Gabal shatters apart. _

_ Diana is thrust backward by the blast, sliding across the stage until her back collides with the wall. Her chest heaves, not in pain but surprise as she pushes herself up to her elbow and opens her eyes.  _

No… 

_ Laying where the amphora once stood, is a woman, naked and curled on her side. Long, dark hair cascades over her bare shoulder, pooling on the ground. As Diana’s gaze travels over the woman’s flawless, tan skin, she can’t help but remember the time she had seen her like this, slick with the blood of innocents. _

_ On instinct, Diana reaches for her power. It is weaker now, as if her abilities had been drained by a fraction. She knows, without a doubt, it is because some of her power has returned to its original owner. She curls her hands into fists and pushes herself to stand. No matter. The so-called Goddess of Blood is still but a shell of who she used to be. As she looks down at Rheya, naked and curled around herself, Diana realizes she is no longer afraid of her. And she never will be again.  _

_ She watches as Rheya stirs, slowly coming back to consciousness. Her eyes flutter open, gazing out at the empty auditorium, confusion creasing her beautiful features. Her gaze roams across the room as she pushes herself up into a half-seated position, her hand fluttering to her chest, feeling for her own heartbeat. Her lips part in awe as she realizes… she is alive. _

_ “Rheya,” Diana says coldly, her voice ringing out in the cavernous room. _

_ Rheya turns, chest heaving and eyes wide. She knows that voice. Knows it belongs to the one that led her to her end. _

_ “You!” Rheya hisses, lips curling back into a vicious snarl as her eyes turn crimson. In a flash, she is on her feet, hand outstretched and fingers curling for Diana’s mind. _

_ It is an odd thing, Diana notes, to feel her own power, so familiar, reflected back at her. Rheya’s control is strong, yes, but still weak in comparison to what Diana has become. _

_ Diana flicks her fingers and Rheya goes sprawling, pinned to the ground by an invisible force. She thrashes against her hold to no avail as Diana strides towards her. Diana’s face is cold, impassive as she kneels beside the other woman. _

_ “Welcome back, Rheya,” Diana murmurs, drinking in this moment. She sees Rheya’s surprise, her anger, her fear. Her emotions are a heady mixture that leaves Diana feeling untouchable, invincible. How delicious it is, to stare down your enemy, and have no fear at all. Diana loosens her psychic hold, just a fraction, and Rheya takes the bait. _

_ “You insolent little―” She reaches out, nails clawing Diana’s cheek, leaving three thin red lines in their wake. “I am the Goddess of Blood, blessed by Phampira herself―” _

_ In the blink of an eye, Diana whips out the blade at her belt and drives it into Rheya’s chest, piercing her heart and pinning her back to the floor as she leans over. “You are nothing more than scorned priestess who thought she could play god.” _

_ Blood trickles over Rheya’s lips as they part―not in pain, for this is not a wound that could kill her―but surprise. Then her brows lower at the challenge. “You think this is playing god?” _

_ Diana sends forth another wave of psychic power, slamming Rheya’s limbs back against the floor. “I don’t think, I know. You are but a sad imitation of Phampira,” she spits disdainfully, keeping the blade pinned in Rheya’s chest so that she cannot yet heal herself. “You can tell yourself whatever you want, but you cannot erase the truth of what you are.” _

_ Rheya chuckles darkly, blood splattering Diana’s cheek. “And what is that, Bloodkeeper?” _

_ “An abomination,” Diana replies coolly, meeting Rheya’s gaze with her own fire. “A monster. A killer.” She leans in, her face mere inches away from her greatest rival’s as she whispers, “But you already know that, don’t you? Or have you already forgotten Iola?” _

_ Rheya looks stricken and Diana knows she has hit home. The fight immediately drains out of Rheya’s body and Diana withdraws her restraints, watching as Rheya’s expression slackens from one of hell-raising fury to grief and shame. “Iola. My… Iola.” Her gaze strays to the side, her eyes distant as she no doubt relives the memory Diana had shown her at the end. “I killed her.” _

_ Diana softens just a fraction, her lips pulling into a sympathetic frown as she nods. “You did.” _

_ Rheya stares into space for a few moments longer, then she turns, her face contorted into an agonized mask. “Why? Why have you brought me back? You should have left me for dead.” _

_ “I need your help.” _

_ Rheya looks at her blankly, then lets out a mirthless laugh. “And why would I help you?” _

_ “Because it is for Demetrius,” Diana replies, her own heart stinging at the thought of her ancestor. “And he still loves you. Just as you still love him.” _

_ Again, Rheya’s face falls. “Demetrius?” _

_ “Yes,” Diana says softly, pulling her hands back into her lap. “He… The Tree of Eternal Death’s power is growing his control. He is trapped in the Void because of it, Rheya. But your blood can kill the Tree. Eternal Life to balance Eternal Death. You can set him free.” _

_ “How? How do I free him?” Rheya breathes, the hope in her voice raw and untamed. When Diana looks away, her face tight, Rheya sags with understanding. “By… killing him. You want me to kill him.” _

_ “He’s been trapped in that Tree for millennia. That is no life to live.” Diana looks down at her hands in her lap. “He doesn’t want to be the one to bring this world and others to their end. You can free him from that burden.” As Diana speaks the words, she knows them to be true. “This is what he wants, Rheya. He is ready to go.” _

_ “I cannot…” Rheya whispers, her voice suddenly so small and vulnerable. Frowning, Diana realizes that this is the most of Rheya’s true self she has ever seen. “I cannot watch him die again. I can’t live with his blood on my hands.” _

_ Diana shakes her head. “You won’t.” _

_ Rheya’s lips part and when she meets Diana’s gaze, the understanding is clear. “I see,” she murmurs solemnly. “I will die with him.” _

_ “You can’t erase the past. You acted on your own and I don’t know if redemption is possible for you, Rheya.” Diana reaches out, hesitantly laying her hand over Rheya’s. Rheya’s brows crease at the contact, as if she cannot begin to comprehend this bit of compassion. “But you can at least die doing the right thing, for once. You can die to save Demetrius. And the rest of the world.” _

_ Rheya’s lips press into a firm line. “Redemption,” she echoes, shaking her head. “What does that mean to you? You tried to spare me before. Why do you care what happens to my soul? I have seen the Afterlife, and there is nothing there for me. Why do you care about any of this? Of Demetrius?” Her eyes narrow, not with venom, but with speculation. “The sorrow in your eyes is genuine. You have more staked in this than just the world. Than even your own life.” _

_ Diana swallows the lump in her throat. “Demetrius is my ancestor. Iola, Minerva… They were among the first of my bloodline.  _ Our _ bloodline.” _

_ Rheya’s eyes widen. “You…” _

_ Diana nods. “I am your last descendant. Yours and Demetrius’s.” _

_ Rheya stares at her, the conflict clear in her eyes. Her fingers fumble in her lap as she works through all of this new information. Diana notes that this is the most uncertain she has ever seen her. At last, Rheya questions, “If I do this… Demetrius, he will not suffer?” _

_ “Not anymore,” Diana answers softly and Rheya’s chest heaves. _

_ After a long moment passes, Rheya nods. “Then, yes. I will do it.” She meets Diana’s gaze, her dark eyes glittering with a new resolve. “For him, and for my blood.” _

_ Diana presses her lips into a firm line, understanding passing silently between them. This is not an apology or a plea for forgiveness. They both know that a few simple words and one good deed cannot undo all the bad that Rheya has done, but for now, there is peace.  _

_ Diana dips her chin in acknowledgment of Rheya’s sentiment, then draws the Compass out from beneath her shirt. But as she looks at Rheya, she inwardly winces and leans forward, yanking the knife out of her chest. _

_ Rheya gasps in surprise, her fingertips fluttering over her bare skin as it rapidly heals over. That is one thing taken care of.  _

_ With a sigh, Diana shrugs off her coat and tosses it to Rheya. “Put that on. The others will already be surprised to simply see you alive. No need to add all of  _ that _ to the mix.” _

_ “Yes, your friends,” Rheya muses, pulling on the long, thick coat as she glances around the empty opera house once more. “Where are they?” Her brows draw together, a new realization dawning on her. “Last I remember, the Tree was not a threat.” She peers at Diana, gaze suspicious. “Where are we going?” _

_ “Somewhere far away from here,” Diana replies, wiping Rheya’s blood off the knife with the cuff of her already stained sleeve. She glances up. “One more thing. Your followers are going to have… doubts about what we plan to do. You need to assure them that you are acting on your own free will to save Demetrius. But I think that for now, it is better if we leave the specifics of what you must do to save him for later. The last thing I need right now is a riot from your cultists.” _

_ Rheya’s jaw tenses but she nods. “Fine.” _

_ “Good,” Diana replies, then draws the blade across her palm. As ruby red blood fills her cupped hand, she tucks the knife back into her belt and seizes Rheya’s hand at the same time she clasps the amulet. At the Compass’s command, she thinks of the opera house as she last saw it, with Gaius, Serafine, and Jax. As the light of the amulet grows, Diana looks to Rheya, whose eyes are wide and uncertain. _

_ “What is this?” Rheya breathes as the sensation of being pulled apart washes over them. _

_ Diana grins wickedly. “Welcome to the future.” _


	29. Chapter 28: Allies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's for you Lola.

**_New York, New York 2020_ **

When the light faded and Diana came to, she realized that they were back. She blinked, rubbing at her eyes as little pinpricks of color burst behind her eyelids and her head felt woozy. The Compass and Rheya’s return finally seemed to be taking their toll on her energy reserves.

“Holy hell,” someone breathed―Jax, probably―just as Diana’s body sagged to the side.

Strong arms wrapped around her, hefting her torso into their lap. Diana gazed up, dazed, seeing only shadows, a blur of tan and cobalt blue, and―

“Hey,” she breathed, releasing Rheya’s hand to brush her fingertip over the slope of Gaius’s cheek. “I’m back.”

Gaius huffed a laugh, his voice full of relief as he held her to him in a warm embrace. “You did it. You actually did it.”

“Did you doubt me?” she murmured against his shoulder and she felt rather than heard his resounding chuckle. 

“Not even for a second, my love,” he grinned, pressing his lips to her temple.

“What… What is this?”

Diana and Gaius turned in unison, their reunion interrupted as Rheya shakily got to her feet, her eyes darting around the room. Gaius’s body tensed as he took notice of their new companion. His arms tightened protectively around Diana. “Rheya.”

At the sound of her name, Rheya spun, surprise and confusion flickering across her features as her gaze fell on her former soldier. “Gaius…” 

A crease formed between Rheya’s eyes as she took note of the way he cradled Diana in his arms. Then, her dark eyes sparkled in understanding. She lifted her chin. “Ah.”

“My Goddess!” Serafine gasped, finally coming out of her stupor. She quickly dropped to a knee and gazed up at where Rheya stood on the stage. “I welcome you back.”

“Serafine.” Rheya smiled benevolently, her face relaxing. “Sweet, devoted Serafine.”

“Cut the shit, Rheya,” Diana snapped, untangling herself from Gaius’s embrace and shoving herself to a sitting position. “You know that’s not why you’re here.”

“Diana!” Serafine gaped, appalled. But Rheya waved her hand dismissively, lips pressing into a line. 

“She is right,” Rheya begrudgingly admitted, gazing down at Diana. “I… I have no intention of claiming my godhood. I am here to save Demetrius.”

“Christ, you actually got her to agree to it,” Jax breathed, his unsheathed katana dipping towards the ground as he shook his head in awe, but not of Rheya. Of Diana. 

“But after Demetrius, my Goddess,” Serafine amended, clasping her hands before her chest. “After you have stopped the Tree, we, the Daughters of Rheya―your devout priestesses―would like to see you.”

Rheya’s mouth parted and Diana vehemently willed her not to forget their agreement to keep part of their plan under wraps. At last, Rheya nodded. “Of course, my dear Serafine. After.”

_ You are extraordinary, _ Gaius murmured into Diana’s mind, even as he glared at Rheya.

Diana raised her brow, glancing back at him.  _ You aren’t wrong. But what makes you say that? _

_ I have never seen her bend to anyone like this, _ he replied, cautiously getting to his feet although his eyes never left Rheya, as if he was half expecting her to attack at any second.  _ Only Demetrius and Iola. But even then, it was different. What did you do? _

Diana accepted the hand Gaius offered her and stood, turning to face Rheya as she replied,  _ I told her that helping us meant helping Demetrius and that she could set him free. She agreed to die for him. I also told her I was her descendant. All of this happened, of course, after I stabbed her in the heart. _

Diana couldn’t help but smirk as Gaius let out a strangled cough that poorly disguised his laugh. 

Rheya met Diana’s gaze and tilted her head to the side. “Where are we, Bloodkeeper?” She glanced around the room. “Or should I say  _ when _ are we?”

“It’s 2044, lady,” Jax snapped, stepping forward and lifting his sword. “Which means the world has moved on without you. Again. And if you haven’t gotten a taste of it already, Diana’s gotten pretty damn powerful. So if you even think about trying anything―”

“Easy, Jax,” Diana murmured, although her eyes didn’t stray from Rheya’s. “She’s not going to do anything. Are you, Rheya?”

Rheya’s lips pressed into a grim line, her nostrils flaring. They may have reached a tentative truce, united over a common cause and even shared blood, but it was clear that she did not like this one bit. But nevertheless, she nodded. “I won’t do anything to harm you or anyone else. You have my word.”

“Your word?” Gaius sneered as he stepped up to Diana’s side, face twisted into a mask of malevolence. “And what value does your word have, Rheya? When every single thing that has ever come out of your mouth has been a lie?”

“If you won’t believe me then you will have to be content with Diana’s word,” Rheya snapped, lip curling. “You would listen to anything she says, wouldn’t you? You have not changed, Gaius Augustine. Still looking for someone to worship. Still begging to be loved―”

The shock rang out across the empty auditorium as Diana backhanded Rheya across the face. Diana heard Serafine gasp but her eyes were intent on her ancestor, who stared back at her, eyes wide with disbelief, fingertips hovering over the red mark on her cheek. She was too stunned to be livid.

When Diana spoke, her voice was deathly calm. “Listen clearly, Rheya. You are here because I need you. Because Demetrius needs you. But do not mistake your value to our cause for immunity.”

Diana moved forward, each step laced through with a predator’s grace. There was something that had happened in the last few hours that had put her on edge. Whether it was having to betray Adrian, watching Rheya violate and ridicule Gaius again and again, or reliving her best friend’s death, Diana didn’t know. Perhaps it was none of those things. Perhaps this was just the corruption, finally taking root. Nevertheless, Diana did not back down.

“I do not need to treat you kindly. I do not even need you alive.” Diana paused before Rheya, folding her hands behind her back. “I could drain you dry, here and now, and water that damn Tree with your blood myself, and you will not get the chance to see your husband again. I have decided not to because I know that somewhere, in your rage and fury, is a woman who loves her family above all. I would like to give her a chance to do the right thing.” 

She glanced back at Gaius, who gazed at her with an unreadable expression, then Jax, who looked smug to see Rheya pay her dues. Diana tilted her head, returning her attention to Rheya.

She leaned in, dropping her voice to a conspirator’s whisper, although everyone present could hear. “Understand this,  _ Blood Goddess,” _ Diana murmured, her eyes locked with Rheya’s burning gaze. “If you insult me or my own again, I will not be so kind. And if you so much as lay a finger on my beloved,” she added, her voice laced with menace. “I will help him show you an oblivion that you will not return from. That is a promise.”

There was a beat of silence and Diana felt Rheya’s power swell, wicked and terrible. The stage beneath them rumbled with the force of it, but Diana did not even bother to call upon hers. It was no longer a question, who would come out on top.

“My Goddess,” Serafine pleaded, starting for the stage. “Diana meant no offense. She only wishes to curb your impulses. To guide you to be the most magnificent Goddess to walk this earth.”

“No, Serafine,” Diana replied calmly. “I meant every offense. You wanted me to counsel your Goddess. This is how I will do it. Rheya has forgotten her humility. Helping her regain it will be my first task.”

Rheya glared, her fingers curling at her sides, the wave of her power finally cresting. Diana heard Gaius in her mind, his tone filled with caution.  _ Diviana…  _

But Diana did not budge. She stared Rheya down, jaw tense and chin lifted as if to say,  _ Do your worse. _

Rheya’s lip twitched―then her power dissipated, like mist on the wind. She took a deep breath, giving Diana a look of appraisal. When she spoke, there was a note of begrudging respect. “You remind me of myself.”

Diana felt something tighten in her chest, a sliver of fear brushing against her heart like a cold, clammy hand.  _ I hope not. _

Instead, Diana plastered a smirk on her face. “It must run in the family.”

Rheya only grimaced in response as if she were displeased to be reminded of the fact that they were related. 

“Now that we have gotten that out of the way,” Diana began, turning away from Rheya and returning to Gaius’s side. “We can consider the next thing on our agenda.”

“Which is?” Jax questioned hesitantly as if he didn’t even want to know.

“Where Rheya will spend the day,” Diana answered, slipping her hand into Gaius’s and squeezing his palm. “It is too close to dawn to risk going to the island now. And although we have gone this far without including Adrian or Kamilah, we should get their counsel before moving forward. Then, we will go to Demetrius. But we will have to wait until tonight.”

She glanced at Gaius out of the corner of her eye. _ I have an idea. But I need you to be on board with it. _

His brows drew together, eyes clouded with concern.  _ What are you proposing, _ diviana?

_ Earlier, you asked how we could trust Rheya,  _ she replied, staring at the ground and pretending to be deep in thought like Serafine and Jax instead of scheming with Gaius.  _ I can tell if she lies to me, but there are ways she could get around it. Half-truths, misdirections. But we can test her. Now. Her words might not hold any weight, but her actions will. _

Gaius hummed in approval down the bond. He was a strategist, through and through. And she was quickly learning from him. _ You’re suggesting that we test her trustworthiness, her intentions… by giving her a chance to betray us. _

_ Precisely. _

_ And I suppose you already have a plan?  _ Gaius questioned knowingly.

_ An idea. We can test both Serafine and Rheya,  _ Diana corrected.  _ I want your input first.  _

He glanced down at her. _ Go on…  _

_ We give them a little freedom,  _ Diana suggested. _ See if they take the chance to flee or they stay and see this through with us. Of course, they won’t actually be able to leave. I’ll ask Jax to send some people to tail them wherever they go.  _

There was a pause, then _ ―You’re brilliant. _

Diana smiled softly at the ground, angling her body away from Jax to hide it. He always seemed to know when they were up to something. She glanced up.  _ Will you be okay with this? Will you be able to rest, knowing that Rheya is out there? _

Gaius’s lips drew into a thin line and his fingers tightened around hers.  _ That’s the thing. I already know that Rheya won’t try anything. Not when she has Demetrius to think about. If she has a chance to see him, to spare him some pain, she won’t do anything to jeopardize that. She is a liar about many things, but her intentions concerning her family are the only thing I can trust to remain constant.  _ He exhaled through his nose.  _ Still. It couldn’t hurt to test Serafine, at least. _

_ Then we agree? _ Diana questioned.  _ We put Rheya in Serafine’s charge? _

_ As long as they are kept under surveillance, yes, _ Gaius confirmed. 

_ Good. _ Diana lifted her head and squeezed his hand.  _ You take the lead. Show Rheya that you aren’t just a pawn. That we make these decisions together.  _

_ She really got under your skin, didn’t she? _

_ She made you suffer enough in her past life, _ Diana said bitterly, her spine stiffening.  _ She doesn’t get to do so in this one.  _

Gaius’s lips curved slightly, just barely hinting at a fond smile.  _ For the record―Just because I know how you are and I know what you are thinking…  _ Gaius added softly.  _ You aren’t anything like her. Strong and smart, but that is about it. You are so much better. So much more. _

Diana’s heart softened in her chest and she yearned to throw her arms around him. But before she could respond, Gaius directed his attention to Serafine. “Do you have a place to stay?”

Serafine blinked, surprised to be addressed so suddenly. “Yes. I’ve been staying in a hotel in Chelsea.”

“Good. That’s close,” Gaius replied coolly, gaze flicking to Rheya. “Take her with you. You can watch her for the day.”

“I―me?” Serafine asked at the same time Jax blurted, “Her?”

“Yes,” Gaius answered, shrugging indifferently. “You wanted your goddess, Serafine. Now you have her. You should have plenty of time to… catch up. Ask her for one of your miracles.”

Jax looked about ready to protest, but Diana caught his eye and shook her head slightly.  _ Don’t. _

“Of course,” Serafine sputtered, nodding fervently. She turned to Rheya. “I can tell you all about the Daughters. Your followers, my Goddess.”

Rheya’s face split into an easy smile, although Diana sensed her slight annoyance as she replied, “Splendid. I look forward to hearing all about them, my dear Serafine.”

Gaius nodded, glancing at Rheya and then back to Serafine. He tilted his chin forward, and without much fanfare, ordered, “Go. Be back at Adrian’s at nine tonight. Do not be late.”

Rheya’s brows drew together, but Serafine didn’t argue. She beckoned Rheya forward, holding out a hand to help her off the stage. “Come, my Goddess. It is a most luxurious hotel, I assure you.”

Rheya glanced back at Diana and Gaius, clearly suspicious, but allowed Serafine to lead her away without a word. 

As soon as the two women were out of earshot, Diana knelt at the edge of the stage where Jax stood. Her eyes were on the retreating figures as she leaned in and questioned, “You got any fellow stalker friends?”

Jax scowled slightly. “They’re called  _ spies _ , Di,” he corrected, exasperated. Then, a subtle blush crept up his neck in embarrassment. He coughed, glancing away. “But yes. There’s several watching this building right now”

Diana smirked. Of course there were. “Good. Tell them to tail Rheya and Serafine. I want constant surveillance on them.”

“I  _ knew _ you were up to something!” Jax grinned as Rheya and Serafine disappeared into the theater’s atrium. He turned, gripping Diana’s shoulders. “For once, I’m glad you two schemers have that freaky bond.” Jax pulled a small comm device from his pocket and turned towards the nearest exit. “You got it, Di.”

“Wonderful. I’ll see you tonight. Keep us updated.” Diana patted his shoulder, then watched him go on his way, silently hoping she hadn’t just made a huge mistake.

As soon as Jax disappeared, Diana let out a heavy sigh and sat back, dangling her legs over the edge of the stage. She rested her elbows on her knees and cradled her head in her hands. She was so tired.

“It’s been quite a night, hasn’t it, Bloodkeeper?”

Diana twisted around, a weary smile on her face as she gazed at Gaius. “That’s the understatement of the year,” she chuckled softly, but as she studied his face, taking note of how it was just a little too tense, her smile fell. Diana held out her hand, a silent plea for him to join her. 

Gaius’s brow creased ever so slightly, his throat bobbing, then he took her hand, settling on the edge beside her. He stared out at the empty rows of chairs, body tense, and gaze troubled.

“Tell me something,” she murmured, cupping his hand in her lap with both of hers as she ran her thumb across his knuckles. She grimaced when she realized her hands were still somewhat tacky with dried blood―her’s and Rheya’s both―but Gaius didn’t seem to notice.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” Gaius admitted softly, his shoulders hunching. At that moment, he didn’t even look upset. Just… lost. She had not seen this expression on him since that evening on the boat, when they left Demetrius’s island behind to face the Goddess of Blood. 

“Start with how you feel,” Diana suggested gently, untangling one of her hands to brush a lock of hair back from his forehead. “Then move on from there. Like a roadmap.”

Gaius huffed. “Is that more advice from your therapist days?”

Diana twisted her mouth to the side. “You’re not one of my clients, Gaius. And even if you were, I wouldn’t make you tell me anything you didn’t want to.”

“No, I know that. I didn’t mean…” He sighed, bowing his head. His eyes fell on her hands holding one of his. He turned his hand over, exposing his palm and Diana slid her fingers between his. “I do want to tell you. I want to tell you everything. I just… I don’t even understand this myself.”

Diana nodded sympathetically. “Take your time.”

“Time,” Gaius echoed, an odd expression crossing over his face. “That might be the only thing we don’t have right now.”

“For this we do,” Diana insisted, squeezing his hand. “I’ll always have time to listen to you. Besides, there’s nothing we can do until tonight anyway.”

Gaius nodded, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth as he stared hard at their hands. “I feel… hatred. And anger.”

“For Rheya,” Diana inferred.

“For Rheya, yes,” Gaius echoed. “I will never forget what she did to me. She stole my humanity, my  _ life _ ―” He cut himself off, squeezing his eyes shut. His shoulders went rigid as he fought to compose himself. After a few moments passed, he let out a long breath, body sagging as tension left him. “But that’s nothing new. We… I… you know this already.”

Diana nodded. It was true. She knew very well how Gaius was still reeling over what Rheya had done to him, even after all of these years. She dealt him a blow he would never quite fully recover from, even if he had started to heal. “Still. That doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to talk about it. Whatever you feel, I want to know.”

“No, I―” Gaius sighed, rubbing his temples. “There’s something else. I feel… loss. Like I’m missing something.”

“Missing something?” Diana questioned, tilting her head. “Do you know what that is?”

Slowly, Gaius nodded. “Seeing Rheya again… I can’t help but think of the old days. Not when I was…” He swallowed, shaking his head. “Before everything happened. When it was just her, Xeno, and me.”

Diana pressed her lips together. Of all the things she and Gaius had spoken about, all of the memories he had shared with her, his life in Mydiea before Rheya died came up very little. Diana had seen pieces of that past through the psychic fragments, just enough to understand what had happened. How things had gone wrong.

“What was it like?” Diana asked, studying his profile in the dim light.

Gaius let out a soft breath, shaking his head. “It was  _ incredible _ , Diana. For a while at least. If only you could have seen it…” He lifted his chin, staring up at the ceiling as if it wasn’t even there, as if he could see through it to the stars beyond. “Rheya was magnificent. She could charm any politician into becoming her ally, not that she needed to. The world she promised, the peace she granted… it was always enough to sway our enemies.”

“And Xenocrates… he was not his father,” Gaius continued wistfully. “He despised tyrants and sycophants. He always weeded out the corrupted men and women of our court before their influence could spread. And  _ I _ …” Gaius breathed, his eyes nearly feverish with an inner light. “ _ I _ was their hand,  _ diviana. _ I protected entire cities, conquered the armies of corrupt emperors, killed dictators. The lives of so many people―former slaves, farmers, women… those who were forgotten―we changed their lives for the better, the three of us. At the time, you could not find a bond stronger than the one that connected our inner court, except for that which tied Rheya to Demetrius and Iola.”

Diana silently listened, doing her best to envision the picture he had painted for her. From what she knew of their rule over Mydiea, she had only seen its rise and fall. Everything Gaius was sharing with her now―the time that passed between―it was brand new. And the way he spoke of it… 

“You loved them,” Diana said softly. It was not a question, just a fact. It was ridiculous, but her heart twinged ever so slightly at notion. She had always known Gaius loved Rheya, but what he was speaking of now… this occurred long before she had corrupted him. This was genuine.

“I did,” Gaius nodded, his expression falling. “Rheya… I don’t know if I will ever be able to separate Rheya from the idea of her. Of what she offered, the world she promised. And Xeno…” He trailed off, his hand subconsciously tightening around hers. The pain that flickered in Gaius’s eyes was fresh and genuine, as if this was the first time he had allowed himself to feel it. 

“Diana, you have to first understand what it is like to be an army. To fight on a battlefield. The men who fight with you, who fight for you… they’re your family. Many of the soldiers I fought beside as a grunt I kept as my advisors and generals when Rheya made me her polemarch.” He let out a long breath, shaking his head. “But Xeno was my  _ brother _ . Truly. It is one thing to be willing to die for the people you love, and another to live for them. I would have died for my men. But for Xenocrates…”

“You would have lived for him,” Diana finished softly, tilting her head, and Gaius nodded. 

“I am the only one who can now,” Gaius sighed, closing his eyes. Lost in memory. “Despite everything that happened, it feels almost wrong to be working with Rheya again without him. Like he should be here too.”

“When Rheya is gone again, I will be the only one left to remember him the way he used to be,” he said softly, sadly. “Before Rheya split us apart. Before we spent thousands of years fighting on opposite sides of a war.” His chest rose and fell for a few more beats before he finally opened his eyes and turned to Diana. “You saw him at the… at the end. Tell me, what was he like? What had become of my brother?”

Diana’s lips parted, her brows drawing together as the memories flashed inside her head. The things Xenocrates had said… about Gaius and about vampires… She didn’t want him to hear that. “Gaius…”

“Please,” he whispered, squeezing her hand. “I do not care how awful it was. I want to know.”

Diana swallowed hard, her chest tightening at the yearning and sorrow that was clearly written on Gaius’s face. At last, she nodded. He deserved to know the truth. And either way, she could not find it in herself to deny him anything. She slipped her hand out of his and framed his temple with her fingertips.

“I can’t say those things, Gaius,” she said apologetically and she was relieved to see the understanding in his eyes. He reached out, squeezing her knee reassuringly. “But I can show you.”

Diana closed her eyes and drew him into her mind palace calling up the memory that captured the last few moments of Xenocrates, the First Son.

When Diana’s memory finally ended with Xenocrates’s execution, she pulled them both out of her mind and let her fingers fall away from his face. She watched solemnly as Gaius opened his eyes, chest heaving hard as if he had just been trapped underwater. Diana reached over, rubbing soothing circles into his back as he stared ahead, lips parted.

“Oh, Xeno,” Gaius whispered into the still air. Somehow, those two little words managed to convey three millennia of the deepest sorrow. “What have we become?”

“I’m sorry, Gaius,” Diana murmured, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and tucking him against her side. Gaius willingly went where she led him, his head falling to rest in the crook of her neck. “I’m so sorry.”

She felt him tense beneath her arm, his fingers tangling themselves in the front of her shirt. He exhaled against her skin and when he shifted, burying his face in her neck, she felt the dampness of silent tears. 

“Oh, Gaius,” Diana’s chest tightened and she held him closer, desperately wishing she could protect him from this pain. She stroked his hair as he silently mourned the loss of the brother that had stayed with him for thousands of years, plaguing his mind, his heart, all the way up to now. Diana knew what this was. It took bringing Rheya back for Gaius to finally say goodbye.

“If he knew,” Diana said softly, pressing her lips to his temple and then resting her chin against the top of his head. “If he knew you, Gaius, the man you have become… He would love you. Just as I do.”

After a few minutes passed, Gaius finally lifted his head. To any other person, he would just appear to be weary; they would not know he had been in mourning. But to Diana… She frowned, reaching out to trace the faint lines of salt that trailed across the planes of his cheeks, then swept his hair away from his face with the back of her hand. Looking at him now, her heart felt so full it could burst, straining against the strict confines of her ribcage. 

Diana tenderly cupped the back of his neck and brushed her thumb over his nape. “I love you.”

Gaius’s brow creased. He reached out, fingers tentatively stroking her cheek. “Say it again.”

Diana’s lips parted, momentarily confounded by his plea. Then she took his hand and softly kissed each of his fingertips. “I love you.”

Gaius leaned in, fingers twining into her hair as he fit his lips to hers. Diana felt his sorrow, his yearning, and his desperation―so potent through their bond and in his touch as his arms slid around her, holding her body tight to his. Gaius murmured against her lips, “Again.”

“I love you,” Diana said, over and over, every time he asked. If her love was what he needed right now, then she would give it. Gladly. Freely. She would give him anything.

“Diana,” he rasped, hands sliding to her hips. Gaius turned her, lifting her legs back onto the stage before carefully laying her down on the polished wood. Diana threaded her fingers through his hair, gently tugging as their kisses turned hungry.

Gaius brushed her knees aside, fitting between them to rest his hips against hers. He pulled back, just enough to trail his lips along the column of her neck as his hand squeezed her thigh. His voice was hoarse as he whispered, “I need you.”

Diana sensed the truth in his words and knew these feelings went beyond lust. After everything that had happened tonight, he was conflicted and confused, the world having been ripped from beneath his feet. But the one thing that would always remain constant was this. Them. And right now, if confirmation of that was what he needed, then Diana would let him have it.

She nodded, her nose brushing against his as her fingers worked at his belt. “You have me, Gaius,” she breathed, kissing him softly. “You have me.”

Gaius gave Diana everything he had, pouring all of his love and devotion into his touch. He cradled her head, never letting it brush the ground, and lost himself in her arms.


	30. Chapter 29: Welded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For an eternity, and then some.

**_New York, New York 2044_ **

Diana woke up to a gentle nudge against her shoulder. She groaned, burrowing her face into her pillow as she rolled onto her stomach, grumbling some nonsense about needing five more minutes.

“It’s never only five more minutes with you.” Someone chuckled softly, nudging her again. “I would normally let you sleep in, _ diviana _ , but it’s almost time. We need to get ready. We’re meeting at Adrian’s in an hour and a half. I already contacted him and Kamilah to have a meeting. And I spoke with Jax. No movement from Rheya or Serafine.”

Diana groaned again, but this time, she shoved herself up to her elbows. She rubbed her eyes, blinking repeatedly to clear her vision until her bedroom came into focus. She glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand; it was just after seven-thirty. 

“Good evening, my love,” Gaius murmured and Diana sluggishly turned. He was seated at the edge of her bed, already dressed, with a steaming mug of tea in his hands. He held it out for her to take. “Something to wake you up.”

Diana nodded gratefully and took it, sipping carefully from the cup. The tea awakened her tastebuds, the hot liquid warming her weary bones. She felt drained, her body aching as if it had been put through the wringer. She hadn’t sustained any injuries yesterday and even if she had been, she healed much faster than the average vampire. No, this exhaustion came from something much deeper than physical exertion. Something was feeding on her, sucking her dry. Diana was pretty sure she knew exactly what that was. 

“I feel like I’ve been hit by a train,” she muttered, rolling her shoulders to relieve some of the tension. “Or sat on by an elephant. Or steamrolled by a… steam roller? Or―”

“Or thrown out of a plane?” Gaius suggested, lifting a brow.

Diana winced slightly. “You kind of deserved it.”

Gaius smirked. “Perhaps I did.”

Diana smiled slightly and she drank, peering at him over the rim of her mug. Her brows drew together as she studied him, lowering her cup to her lap. “Your hair. You… pulled it back.”

Gaius blinked at her, his fingers subconsciously straying to his hair, half of which had been pulled back and tied into a small bun. “Yes, well. I didn’t want it to get in the way. Who knows what awaits us on the island.”

Diana leaned forward, brushing her fingers along the defined curve of his cheekbone, which was better exposed with his hair out of the way. “I like it. You look… nice.”

Gaius’s lip curled and he tilted his head. “My, you certainly have a way with words.”

Diana rolled her eyes, setting her mug aside. “We can’t all spout poetry on a whim like you do.” She clambered across the bed, kneeling beside him and delicately taking his face between her hands. “You look handsome, my love. Dashing. Angelic. Awe-inspiring. Ethereal. Sculptors will forever be enraged that they cannot craft a man as beautiful as you.”

A light blush bloomed across his cheeks and Gaius glanced down, kissing the inside of her wrist. “You’re a quick study.”

Diana smiled, reaching out to lightly tug on a stray strand of his hair. “I learn from the best.”

Gaius huffed, taking her wrists into his hands and setting them in her lap. “No more of that,  _ diviana, _ ” he tsked, getting to his feet, but not before he brushed his knuckles against her cheek. His gaze softened. “I know you’re tired. But we’re almost done. Just hold on a little while longer, Diana. After tonight…” He trailed off, but she didn’t need him to continue to understand the rest of that sentence.

After tonight, they would either succeed and Tree of Eternal Death would be disabled, or they would fail, and life as they knew it would soon cease to exist.

Diana’s brows drew together and she glanced away, biting down hard on her lip. This was it, then. The end.

_ Just a little while longer, _ Gaius repeated softly through the bond, gently brushing against her mind.  _ Get ready. We’ll leave in half an hour. _

Diana nodded and Gaius took his leave, gracefully striding for the door. When he reached the threshold to the hallway, he paused, as if remembering something. “A package came for you,” he said, directing her attention to a parcel that sat forgotten at the foot of her bed. “From Adrian.”

Diana’s brow furrowed. “What is it?”

Gaius merely shrugged. “It’s not mine to open.”

Diana’s lips twisted to the side as Gaius slipped out of her bedroom and softly closed the door behind him. Diana heard the faint sounds of silverware clinking and cupboards opening and closing, indicating that Gaius was probably preparing something to eat before they left.

Diana sighed and drew the parcel into her lap. It was surprisingly heavy despite its small size. Curious, she grabbed a pocketknife from her nightstand and unsealed the box. Beneath layers of tissue paper sat a pile of cloth. No, not a pile of cloth. A suit.

Diana pulled out the full-body suit to inspect it, pinching the fabric between her fingers. It was made of the same thick black cloth Kamilah had worn to the island―tight and flexible, and impenetrable to most blades. Diana ran her fingers along the sleeves, feeling the built-in gauntlets and hidden blades. It was padded for protection, especially in the places Diana typically left exposed while fighting, as if the designer had made it just for her.

She glanced over at the door, then undressed to slip the suit on. The smooth material whispered against her skin, thick yet lightweight. Now that it was on, she could feel the weight of more hidden weapons. Diana rotated her shoulders and twisted, inspecting the fluidity with which she moved, unburdened by her clothing. She felt like a shadow made flesh. Diana flicked her wrists and two thin blades silently slid free from her gauntlets, gleaming like quicksilver in the dim light. Another flick and they were gone.

“Incredible,” she murmured, raising her arm to inspect the material, noting the way it clung to her like a second skin. She returned her attention to the box, discovering a pair of black boots hidden at the bottom. When she pulled them on, she found that they fit just as well as the suit, the leather supple and pliable. Curious, she put pressure on different parts of the sole to see what would happen. When she knocked her heel against her bedpost, a blade slid free beneath her toes. 

After thoroughly marveling over her shoes, Diana once again rifled through the box, although this time, there were no more surprises. Only a note from Adrian.

_ A prototype from my labs made specially for you. I was going to send it to you while you were in Europe searching for Gaius, but you found him first. I still think you should have it. For whatever lays ahead. _

Diana read it twice over, then set the note gently aside. Diana quickly braided back her hair, making sure the plaits held tight so it wouldn’t fall apart and get in her way. Then, she strapped her katana to her back, grabbed her coat, and left her bedroom.

“By the gods,” Gaius breathed from where he stood behind her kitchen counter, two bowls of oatmeal and a few blood packs laid out before him. “You look…”

“Ridiculous?” she inferred, glancing down at her suit. She looked like some sort of vigilante on a superhero TV show. “It’s a prototype of Adrian’s. He meant to send it to me while I was in Europe.”

“... Wicked,” Gaius finished, shaking his head in awe. “Like the kind of thing mortal men either have nightmares of or fantasize about.”

Diana felt her face grow hot as she crossed into the kitchen and drew a bowl of oatmeal to herself. “Mortal men, hm? But not you.”

Gaius smirked slightly. “I might have to agree with mankind on this one.”

Diana laughed softly as she stirred her spoon in the bowl. “I feel a little foolish. This… it’s a lot, don’t you think?”

“I think it suits you,” Gaius shrugged, observing her as she ate as if to make sure she built up as much strength as possible. “You look like what I have always known you to be.” He reached out, trailing his fingers along her forearm. “Strong, powerful, terrifying… Shrouded in darkness,” he said softly, lifting her chin with his forefinger. “But _ good _ .”

Diana’s brows drew together and she grabbed her hand, holding it to her chest. Gaius met her eyes, flattening his palm over her heart to feel its steady beat.  _ This feeling _ , he thought through their bond.  _ I would do anything for it. _

Diana pursed her lips, then released his hand, suddenly overcome with emotion as she threw her arms around him, holding him in a tight embrace. She leaned up on her toes, burying her face in his neck as she whispered, “I am so glad I found you. In Caherdaniel, in Aosta… I am so grateful for every day that I woke up and found you by my side.”

She heard the faint clink of his spoon against the porcelain bowl as Gaius dropped it and wrapped his arms around her, holding her just as tight. “It’s funny that you say that.”

Diana drew back a fraction, bracing her fingers on his upper arm, feeling the tense muscles beneath. “What do you mean?”

“All my life, I was searching for you,” he murmured, his eyes roaming across her face as he smoothed some hair back from her temple. “I just didn’t know it. And in the end, you were the one who came to me.” He shook his head in disbelief. “When I felt you, like a fire burning on the horizon, I had no idea what awaited me. And to think, all of this began because I happened to be wandering by the right town at the right time.”

“I think we both know it was more than coincidence, Gaius,” Diana said softly. She was drowning in his gaze, the warmth and affection that surrounded her, uplifted her. “You weren’t wandering. You were right where you were supposed to be. Where I needed you to be.”

An unnamed emotion bloomed in his eyes, coloring his irises in something that had no hue but stole Diana’s breath away nonetheless. Diana watched with her heart in her throat as Gaius’s lips parted and he breathed, “Marry me.”

Diana blinked, a jolt shooting through her body, galvanizing her limbs. Her voice was girlishly high and paper-thin as she gaped at him. “What?”

“I’m asking you to marry me,  _ diviana _ ,” Gaius reiterated, untangling himself from her arms. He held her gaze as he settled his hands on her hips and lowered himself to kneel before her.

“I…” Diana stared down at him at a loss for words. She opened and closed her mouth several times like a fish gasping for air as she slowly shook her head in disbelief. Then she fell to her knees before him and took her face into her hands, pressing their foreheads together. 

“Yes _ , _ ” she replied breathlessly. “Of course, Gaius.” She kissed him deeply, sweetly. “Of course.”

He beamed at her, blue eyes shining like stars. His fingers threaded through her hair, threatening to unspool the plaits she had just braided into place. “Truly?”

“Yes,” she insisted, laughing lightly as tears of joy slid free. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so wide. “As if I would say no to you.” She sniffed, wiping her face with her shoulder as she gazed around the room, remembering that they were on the floor of her kitchen and being unable to bring herself to care. “But why? I am already yours. You know that. What does it matter if we get married?”

Gaius shrugged as he kissed her cheeks, catching the tears she missed. “Because we can. Because I want to.”

Diana thought about it for a split second, and nothing more.

“That sounds good enough to me,” she grinned, her fingers fluttering over his jaw, his neck, his shoulders―every place she could reach just to confirm that this was real. That _ he _ was real. “But when?”

“Tonight,” he proposed, his grin broadening as Diana stared at him incredulously. “I don’t need a big event if you don’t. I don’t even need the paperwork. Just so long as it’s you and me.” He stood, gently gripping Diana’s forearms as he brought her up with him. “We can do it like our kind used to in the old days. I still remember the customs. We just need someone to officiate.”

“Gaius, it’s almost eight o’clock.” Diana pursed her lips, squeezing his hands. “We’re meeting at Adrian’s in an hour. City Hall is closed and I doubt there are any priests who would be willing to do it on such short notice.”

Gaius shook his head, kissing her temple. “We don’t need much time. And I know someone who can do it.”

She furrowed her brows. “Who?”

“Ah…” His eyes strayed to the side, a blush creeping up his neck. “You’ll see. Can I use your phone to make a call?”

Diana gazed at him skeptically but withdrew her cell from one of the discreet pockets in the suit and handed it over. “This is why you need your own.”

He huffed a laugh, ducking to plant one last kiss on her cheek as he slipped his hands out of hers and began to retreat into the hallway. “I love you.”

Diana couldn’t help but smile. 

“I love you, too,” she said softly, staring after him in wonder as he eagerly made for her bedroom and closed the door behind him. As Diana tugged on her coat, concealing her suit and sword, she glanced down at the counter, her gaze falling on the half-eaten bowls of oatmeal and blood packs. With a contented sigh, she grabbed two Tupperware containers from her cabinets and emptied the oatmeal into them to take on the way. 

As she piled their supplies into Gaius’s pack, she couldn’t help but think of a certain memory from long ago. Diana zipped up his bag and crossed her small living room to gaze out a water-stained window to the night sky beyond. There were no stars visible with all of the light pollution, but it was enough for Diana to know that they were there.

“I’m finally getting married, Dad,” she whispered into the empty room, her eyes welling up again as she thought of an old conversation that took place within the sterile walls of a solemn hospital room. “It’s not Adrian, but I know you would like him. He makes me happy.” 

“I’m on a time crunch, so it’s not going to be a big event. Mom’s going to kill me when she finds out I got married without her,” she chuckled, her voice quivering ever so slightly. “I wish you could be here for it. All of you. You, Mom, Lily…” She drew in a shaky breath, her fingertips grazing the silver flower pendant. “If you see Lil, tell her she would have been my Maid of Honor. I know she would have thrown the wildest bachelorette party.”

Diana reached out, gripping the windowsill to steady herself. “I’m trying to live for you, Dad. For you and Lily both. But tonight…” She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. “Tonight, I’m going to have to do something dangerous. And if it goes wrong, I don’t know if I will make it out alive. I think that… I think that’s why Gaius proposed. We both know that tonight, everything is going to change.” She closed her eyes, resting her head against the window and letting the coolness of the glass pane anchor her. “But I am going to try. I promise you. I am going to try to survive this so I can keep living. Because now I’ve found something that makes me really,  _ really _ want to keep moving forward.”

She stood there for a few moments, letting reality catch up to her―truly soaking all of it in, the good and the bad. Yes, it was possible that tonight was one of her last, and that was terrifying and stressful and it made her want to scream. But there were worse ways to spend it than getting married to her soul-bonded. And if this really was the end of it all, at least she would go with the knowledge that she had loved and been loved with the fury of a thousand suns.

“I secured our officiator,” Gaius said, exiting her bedroom. Diana heard the creak of the floorboards beneath his feet as he paused. His voice softened. “What’s wrong?”

Diana opened her eyes and discreetly wiped away her already-drying tears. When she turned, the grin on her face was genuine and luminous. “Nothing. I was just thinking about my father. He would always bug me to get married whenever I saw him.”

Gaius’s gaze roamed across her face, studying it for any sign of distress. But when he saw nothing of concern and understood her words to be true, a soft smile spread across his lips. He held out his hand. “Then let’s go make him proud.”

* * *

“I brought everything you asked for,” Kamilah stated, setting down a small box on the stone bench before them.

Kamilah, Diana, and Gaius stood alone in the Central Park Conservatory beside a glittering reflection pool that was sparsely populated with lilypads and angelic statues of frolicking nymphs. Despite bordering Fifth Avenue, the garden―which had long since emptied of all staff and visitors―was nearly silent save for the occasional frog or chirping bird. 

Despite their lack of preparation, Diana had to admit it was a rather lovely venue for a wedding ceremony, even without all of the pomp of fancy decorations and twinkling lights. Although if she was being honest, she and Gaius could have been getting married beside a dumpster and she would have loved it all the same. 

“Thank you, Kamilah,” Gaius said, nodding graciously. “For agreeing to do this. Especially on such short notice.”

“Yes, well. It’s not every day that my powers as a nomarch are called upon, so I figured I could make an exception.” Her gaze softened as her eyes met Diana’s, then Gaius’s. “Especially for my dear friends.”

Gaius’s brows rose, lips parting in surprise before stretching into a wide grin. “What happened to a thousand years?”

“Don’t make me change my mind,” Kamilah replied coolly. She arched a single brow. “Is there a reason you two chose tonight of all nights to do this?”

“Why wait?” Diana shrugged. She glanced over at Gaius, squeezing his hand as she met his gaze. “Who knows how much time we have left. Might as well do what matters now before it’s too late.”

Gaius nodded solemnly and Diana felt him brush a comforting hand against the walls of her mind.

Kamilah pursed her lips, folding her arms across her chest. “And I suppose no one is going to tell me about what our upcoming meeting is about, either? Or why the two of you are armed to the teeth?”

Diana and Gaius both shook their heads in unison.   


“Very well,” Kamilah sighed, lifting the lid of the box she brought. She looked to Gaius. “It has been some time since I last presided over one of these. I don’t think I have wed anyone since the early 17th century.”

Gaius nodded with understanding. “That’s alright. I still remember.”

“I never knew that vampires had their own marriage customs,” Diana mused, peering into the box.

“Yes, well, with a lifespan as long as ours, it’s not often that you find one partner that you want to spend the rest of eternity with,” Kamilah replied, arranging several candles upon the bench. She drew a lighter from within her pantsuit and carefully lit the wicks of each one. “So when two immortals decide to marry, it was seen as a fairly momentous occasion. Mortal ceremonies didn’t quite capture the gravity of such a union.”

As Kamilah continued to set up, Diana turned to Gaius, her brows raised. “Is there something I should have prepared for this? Vows?”

Gaius shook his head, brushing his thumb across her knuckles. “The action of getting married is enough; our own vows aren’t necessary. Unless, of course, you want to exchange them?”

Diana let out a small sigh of relief. “No, that’s okay. Honestly, I don’t think I would be able to get through them without crying. Besides, I think you already know everything I would say, anyway.”

“I do.” Gaius smiled softly, his features delicate in the watery moonlight. He leaned in, kissing her cheek. When he straightened, he continued, “Although there is a set of pre-written vows that we are supposed to say together.” He paused, sharing them with her through the bond. He looked nearly radiant as he added, “In the old days, every vampire who ever married recited them. Just follow my lead. Kamilah will guide us through the rest.”

“Indeed,” Kamilah agreed and Diana turned away from Gaius in time to see the other woman finish up the last of her preparations. Various objects were spread out among the candles on the bench. A small, golden brazier glimmered in the candlelight, a tiny fire blazing beneath its shining bowl. Beside it sat two ceremonial daggers inlaid with rubies and engraved with some Latin phrase. One read:  _ Ubi tu Gaius, ego Gaia. _ When and where you are Gaius, I then and there am Gaia. The other:  _ Ubi tu Gaia, ego Gaius. _

“What does that mean?” Diana asked softly, tilting her head as she studied the twin blades. 

“In Rome, ‘Gaius’ was a common praenomen. It became a placeholder for men, just as ‘Gaia’ became a placeholder for women,” he explained, watching as Kamilah laid out a long strand of red thread. “It’s a bit of an outdated phrase. Back then, legal marriage was only between a man and a woman, but we have long since interpreted it as ‘Wherever you are, I shall always be.’”

The corners of Diana’s mouth curved. That was perfect.

At last, Kamilah drew out a strip of gossamer laced through with sparkling silver and gold thread and set the box aside. As she held up the cloth, Gaius squeezed Diana’s hand, indicating that it was time. Together, they lowered themselves to the ground before the bench, kneeling side by side as Kamilah draped the fabric over their shoulders. Gaius lifted their hands, pressing Diana’s palm flat against the smooth stone and then rested his atop hers.

“Ready?” Kamilah said softly, offering Diana a rare, tender smile. 

Diana wordlessly nodded, her heart pounding away in her chest as she thought to Gaius,  _ More than anything. _

He seemed to burn a little brighter in response. 

At their confirmation, Kamilah began the ceremony, her voice low and steady. “We stand here tonight in the eyes of gods and men to witness the union of two souls: one body, one heart, one home, now and forever. Cursed be he who should seek to tear them asunder.”

At that, Gaius lifted his hand and picked up one of the ornate blades, silently indicating for Diana to do the same. Through the bond, he showed her what came next. 

“Blood calls to blood, flesh calls to flesh,” Kamilah intoned and alarm sparked through Diana’s nerves.  _ Rheya _ had once said that.

Gaius took her left hand, guiding it to hover over the small brazier.  _ Rheya’s prophecy is but a twisted mockery of our customs,  _ he said, sensing her thoughts.  _ She sought to divide our kind. To sow violence. Those words were meant to join.  _

Diana nodded, meeting Gaius’s gaze. The candlelight flickered in his eyes, casting his face in soft shadows. She pursed her lips at the slight sting of pain as he pricked the tip of her ring finger with the blade. A pearl of blood welled up, then splattered into the golden bowl. Gaius’s eyes did not stray from her face as she did the same to him. Their blood mingled in the brazier, sizzling against the heated metal. As they set the ceremonial blades down, Kamilah picked up the red thread. She looped one end around Diana’s finger, the one that had bled, and tied the other end to Gaius’s. 

_ I’ll buy you a ring later,  _ he teased as the string bound them together.

_ As long as I get to pick it out, _ she replied, although she truthfully could care less about a glittering piece of metal.

_ Deal. _

“In the eyes of the gods, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them for an eternity.” Kamilah stepped back, clasping her hands before her. “Look upon one another and state the vows.”

As Gaius took Diana’s hands in his, the red string dangling between them, they turned, shifting on their knees to face each other. He ran his thumb over the back of her knuckles. 

_ Ready? _ he asked, once again sharing the ancient pledge through the bond, and Diana nodded. Together, they spoke:

_ You cannot possess me for I belong to myself, _

_ But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give. _

_ I give you my blood, my bones, my soul, _

_ My name, my years, my home. _

_ I pledge to you each and every moon and sun I see, _

_ I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud before sleeping and your eyes into which I smile after waking, _

_ I pledge to you my life and my death, each part equally in your care. _

_ I shall be a shield for your back and a blade in your hand, your council and your will, _

_ I shall be your salvation and your sanctuary,  _

_ I shall honor you above others. _

That was the end of the scripted vow, but Diana tightened her fingers around his, sending one last stanza down from her end of the bond. A revision.

_ Only to you, do I yield, _

_ Only to you, do I kneel, _

_ Only to you, I am bound. _

_ These are my wedding vows to you, _

_ This is the union of equals. _

Diana beamed, glowing like the North Star as tears slipped free from the corners of her eyes, and Gaius spoke the last words of the ceremony. “With this kiss, I pledge my love, for an eternity, and then some.”

They met like two comets colliding, fingers fluttering and hearts pounding. As Diana kissed him, softly, sweetly, she thought of how marriage had never really meant anything to her―not when there were better ways of showing love that didn’t require a piece of paper to prove it and a crowd of people to watch. 

But this? She knew that this was for them, and only them. Few things in life were ever perfect, but Diana knew that this certainly was. Although the rest of the night was filled with uncertainties, Diana felt her chest swell with a new resolve. She would not let this love be taken from her. Come hell or high water, she would fight for it. For her life and for Gaius’s.

“I love you,” Gaius whispered, breaking away at last. Diana echoed the sentiment, wrapping her arms around his neck as she leaned against his chest, hearing his heart thunder beneath her ear. 

Nothing, not even the gods, would keep her from him. That was a promise.


	31. Chapter 30: No Goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No mourners, no funerals.

**_New York, New York 2044_ **

Diana stalked along the length of Adrian’s bookshelf, her fingertips skimming over leather bound journals and dusty tomes as she contemplated the upcoming events. So much information and history documented on this shelf, and none of it could prepare her for what came next. 

There was still no sign of Rheya or Serafine, but as Diana checked her phone yet again, she saw that they still had time to show. 

Jax sat in the corner of the office, sharpening his katana. For what, Diana had no clue. She was pretty sure he just hated sitting still as much as she did right now. Kamilah leaned against Adrian’s desk, perusing a tattered book filled with yellowing pages that seemed to be falling apart at the seams. And Gaius lounged in one of the high backed velvet chairs with his chin in his hand, looking gloriously bored as they waited for Adrian to finish doing whatever it was that he did to run the company. 

Diana wished she had the luxury of feeling as bored as Gaius looked. Instead, she was full of restless energy, her power churning beneath her skin like a storm waiting to break.

_ You are going to wear a hole into the carpet, _ Gaius chided as she continued pacing.  _ Sit down before you tire yourself out. _

Diana rolled her eyes.  _ If pacing was enough to wear me out, then we wouldn’t have a chance on the island tonight. I’m fine. _

No sooner had she replied, did Diana feel that prickling sensation, tendrils of cold fire licking down her spine. She cast out a psychic net, searching for the source, but came up empty-handed. Diana discreetly peered around the room, unwilling to alarm the others until she knew whether or not there was a threat to worry about.

_ Look _ , someone whispered, not aloud, but from within her own head. 

Diana’s breath hitched ever so slightly and she saw Gaius’s attention shift to her out of the corner of her eye. The voice was unfamiliar, yet unbelievably so. Diana was certain that she had never heard it before, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she also had―thousands of times before.

_ Watch,  _ the voice said. _ And remember. _

Diana cast out her senses once more, gaze roaming as she ignored Gaius’s questioning presence. But somehow, she knew that the thing she was looking for did not exist within these walls. Whatever was calling to her came from within.

_ I need a moment, _ Diana said down the bond as she folded her legs, cramming her knees against the arms of the velvet chair. She knew she was being vague but sensed Gaius’s understanding nonetheless as she closed her eyes and delved into her mind palace.

Diana was greeted with the familiar kaleidoscope of swirling nebulae and churning whirlpools of psychic matter as she entered the depths of her mind. Diana gazed around, unsure where to start, when a void ripped open before her, its edges rimmed with fraying threads of silver that waved like anemones beneath the waves.

She startled, flinching backward, but the portal did not move or react to her presence. Diana cautiously studied it. This was not one of her memories, but another vampire’s. She had used her Bloodkeeper abilities and the entire archive of memories at her disposal countless times in order to better understand the history of vampires, but never before had a memory appeared on its own accord.

However, even as she thought that, Diana realized that that wasn’t the case either. Something or someone had brought forth this memory. Just on the edge of her peripheral, Diana sensed something that was Other, lingering at the edge of her mind. Watching.

Its signature was strange, foreign, and unplaceable. But it did not seem malicious. Diana could have sworn she felt a wave of encouragement wash over her.

She glanced around her mind palace once more, then stepped into the memory.

* * *

_ It is dark, but Diana can see clearly.  _

_ She watches as a priestess stumbles blindly through the winding underground tunnels. Her white robes are tattered and stained with dust, her feet are raw and bloody from the unforgiving cavern floor. She trails one hand along the cave wall, feeling her way around. In her other hand, she clutches a simple knife, her parting gift and the smallest of mercies granted to her by the soldier charged with her exile.  _

_ Rheya.  _

_ Diana’s brows furrow. She has seen parts of this memory before _ ― _ Rheya’s exile and Rheya’s return. But she has never seen what happened in between. She has never seen how the Goddess of Blood truly came to be. But she has a feeling that she is about to find out. _

_ Rheya staggers forward, weak with exhaustion, hunger, and dehydration. Diana watches as she moves along on wobbly legs, then collapses, chest heaving and eyes unfocused. Rheya licks her lips, cracked and dry with thirst, as her head lolls to the side. This is it. The end. She cannot go on much longer. The princeling had spared her from execution, but really, he had only bartered one death for another. In the end, she will die in these caves.  _

_ She will never see her beloved Demetrius again.  _

_ Rheya sobs, a wretched and broken sound leaving her lips as she curls in on herself, trembling with what little energy she possesses. Diana can taste the hopelessness in the air. The despair. It is potent, nearly tangible in the darkness.  _

_ Suddenly, Rheya stills. Diana watches as the priestess’ hands fall away from her face and she looks up, slack-jawed in awe. Diana follows her line of sight and gasps. _

_ A young girl stands before Rheya, her skin glowing faintly with an inner light. With a start, Diana realizes that this is not just any child. No, she recognizes her. Her ancestor. Iola. _

_ Except… it’s not Iola. Rheya has not yet born her child, the first Bloodkeeper. _

_ Rheya’s voice is hoarse with disuse. “What are you doing down here, my child? Are you lost?” _

_ “Lost?” the little girl echoes in not one voice, but many. A chill rolls down Diana’s spine, the hairs on the back of her arms standing on end, as she realizes that this is the same voice she heard in Adrian’s office. And along with this new revelation comes with another: this is no child. This is a god. _

_ Diana watches as the being that wears Iola’s skin steps forward, offering a small hand to Rheya. “Come, priestess. I am not lost. And neither are you.” _

_ Doubt fills Rheya’s eyes and she blinks, as if she cannot quite comprehend the vision before her, cannot believe it to be real. She reaches out with trembling fingers that hover in the dark, hesitant to take the final leap. “Who are you? Where will you take me?” _

_ The godling tilts her head, her chestnut brown hair sliding over her shoulder as her honeyed eyes roam Rheya’s face. “You have devoted your life to me, priestess. Let me help you, now.” _

_ Rheya drew in a shaky breath. “My Goddess… Phampira, it is you? But you…” _

_ “Look so young?” Phampira asks and Rheya winces slightly, fearing she has insulted her patron. But the goddess waves her hand. “This is just one of my forms. I thought it would be best to appear as someone important to you, dear priestess. Or,” she paused, considering. “Someone who  _ will  _ become important to you.” _

_ “I… I do not understand.” _

_ “Come, Rheya Apostolous,” Phampira says gently, all of her voices soothing and somehow familiar, although neither Diana nor Rheya can place where they have heard it before. “Your story does not end here.” _

_ Rheya places her hand in Phampira’s, her lips parting in awe and reverence as she realizes that this is real. Her goddess is real. She stands, her legs a little stronger now, and allows Phampira to lead her through the darkness. _

_ Diana does not know how long they traverse the caves. Time flows differently for her, the memories speeding up on their own accord. At last, the narrow tunnels of the caves widen, and Rheya and Phampira enter a wide cavern. The darkness here is less smothering, total blackness lightening to shifting shadows of grey. As they cross further into the cavern, Diana’s breath catches. _

_ There it is. The Tree of Eternal Life.  _

_ Phampira’s luminous skin seems to glow a little brighter, illuminating the Tree in her ethereal light, as she presses Rheya’s palm against its trunk. _

_ “Drink upon the blessed Tree, priestess,” Phampira whispers, lifting Rheya’s other wrist and revealing the small knife still gripped in her hand. “Consume my blood and walk the earth in my stead. Do what men have failed to do. Bring peace and prosperity to this world.” _

_ “My Goddess, I— _

_ Phampira hushes her, raising Rheya’s hand and directing it to rest the blade’s gleaming edge against the stark white bark of the Tree. “You have been chosen for a reason, Rheya Apostolous. You are ready.” _

_ Rheya drives the knife into the Tree, the bark easily giving way. A thick red substance oozes from the infliction, brighter than blood. Its raw power—Phampira’s power—permeates throughout the cavern, setting Rheya’s nerves ablaze. _

_ Eyes burning with an amalgam of fear and zeal, Rheya cups her hands together, holding them beneath where the knife pierces the trunk, and fills her palms with the Tree’s pungent sap. _

_ “Drink,” Phampira urges, her voice a feather-light caress against Rheya’s skin. “Drink, and rise, Rheya Apostolous, as the First Vampire. The Goddess of Blood.”  _

_ She drinks. _

_ As soon as Rheya drains the sap from her hands, she staggers back, knees crumpling. On the cold, harsh stone floor of the cave, she convulses, her veins pulsing with a strange inner light. Diana cannot see her face, cannot make out the priestess’ expression as the transformation takes root. Rheya makes a gurgling sound, like she is choking on her own tongue, and trembles violently, her fingertips scrabbling across the ground for purchase. At last, she goes still. _

_ Diana watches as Rheya’s heaving chest slows until it is barely moving at all. Then, the priestess forces herself up to her forearms, then her hands, and gazes around. Phampira is gone. _

_ As Rheya pushes herself to her feet and turns, Diana sees that her eyes are a startling shade of crimson. She is no longer Rheya Apostolous, a mortal priestess of the goddess Phampira. She is the First, blessed by the gods. And she will rebuild the world of men anew. _

* * *

Diana opened her eyes, withdrawing from her mind palace as the memory drew to an end. She blinked a few times, fingers squeezing the plush arm of her chair as she reoriented herself.

_ What was that? _ Gaius questioned from where he now stood against the wall, surveying the room. Diana rubbed her temples, wincing slightly as she adjusted to the light of Adrian’s office after being in the dark for so long.

Diana was about to respond when the door to the office suddenly swung inward. She glanced at him as she forced herself to her feet.  _ I’ll tell you later. _

Adrian stepped into his office, took one glance around the room, and sighed wearily. “Do I even  _ want _ to know why you are wearing that suit, Diana?”

Diana offered a sheepish smile. “Probably not.”

Adrian looked to Gaius, who stood silently against the wall, face impassive. Jax kept his attention on his sword as he sharpened it and Kamilah merely waved an exasperated hand as if to say,  _ Trust me. I’ve asked.  _

“Well, then,” Adrian frowned, clearly still suspicious as he strode for his desk. “I know we agreed to reconvene so that Gaius and I could arm ourselves on the island but… something tells me that’s not really what we’re here for, is it?”

Jax huffed. “Not exactly.”

Adrian’s brow furrowed and Diana pulled out her phone to check the time. It was nine o’clock on the dot. She glanced over at Gaius, her lips pursed, and a silent sort of grim understanding passed between them. It was time to see if their test had worked. Rheya and Serafine would either walk through those doors, or the hunt for them would begin.

“Then would someone care to explain what we’re here for if not to send Gaius and Adrian to the island?” Kamilah demanded after a few moments passed, folding her arms. “Because if we’re not sending them off, and nobody is talking, then we are wasting time. I should be researching right now. Not sitting here.”

Diana glanced at Jax, searching for any indication that he knew where Rheya and Serafine were but he merely shrugged, his jaw clenched tight and eyes hard. Diana knew what that meant. His spies hadn’t caught sight of the former priestess and her acolyte since they retired to Serafine’s hotel that morning. Which meant that they either weren’t coming or they had disappeared without anyone noticing.

Gaius grabbed her hand, squeezing reassuringly, and when Diana glanced down, she smiled slightly at the thin band of red thread that still circled his finger. After the clandestine ceremony, they had cut the excess string that connected their hands, leaving only the bit tied around their ring fingers in place of wedding bands.

After a few more minutes passed in heavy silence, Kamilah let out a harsh exhale, shaking her head. “Ridiculous. If we aren’t going to be productive, then I’m leaving.”

Adrian sighed, rubbing his temples. “Kamilah―”

But she was already moving towards the door. Just as her fingers brushed the doorknob, Diana sensed it. A familiar power signature, not so unlike her own. She inhaled sharply, fingers tightening around Gaius’s as Kamilah pulled open the door and―

Adrian’s chair went tumbling backward as he abruptly stood, immediately pulling two stakes from within his suit. In a flash, Kamilah flicked out her twin daggers and flung one with deadly accuracy through the doorway. There was a sickening crunch and a squelch as the ancient blade sunk deep into Rheya’s chest.

For a moment, there was nothing but an unbearable silence. Then, Rheya looked down at the dagger protruding from her chest. Diana winced as Rheya wrapped her fingers around the hilt and slowly pulled it out. Blood gushed from the wound, soaking the front of her blouse before the flow slowed to a trickle, and at last a halt as the gaping hole in Rheya’s chest sealed itself before their eyes.

Rheya studied the blade with disinterest, her blood gleaming like priceless rubies in the soft light of Adrian’s office. It clattered to the floor, the sound harsh and jarring as Rheya’s hand fell to her hip and her gaze slid slowly from Kamilah to Adrian. She sniffed. “How… predictable.”

Without another word, Rheya crossed the room and seated herself in one of Adrian’s plush velvet chairs, crossing one leg over her knee as she laid her hands atop the chair’s arms. She had all of the poise and grace of a queen, even though she was covered in blood and dressed in Serafine’s spare clothes. Serafine followed, standing by Rheya’s side like a patient attendant awaiting orders. Diana frowned at her subservience.

Rheya’s gaze met hers, flat and unamused. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice we were being followed?”

“It doesn’t matter if you noticed,” Diana replied, shrugging indifferently, even as she saw confusion settle across Kamilah and Adrian’s expressions out of the corner of her eye. “As long as you didn’t leave.”

“I told you I would not,” Rheya snapped, clearly discontent with being treated as a prisoner.

“Forgive me if we don’t fully trust you―” Diana rolled her eyes, waving her hand absently through the air. “―after what happened the last time we did.”

Rheya’s lips pressed into a tense line, then she exhaled sharply through her nose, and directed her attention to Kamilah and Adrian, who still brandished their weapons. “It appears that not everyone was notified of my return.”

Diana studied Adrian’s expression as the realization dawned on him and the truth set in. He turned from Rheya to Diana, clearly crestfallen. “So you really did take the amphora… That wasn’t just a dream.”

“No,” Diana shook her head apologetically, her chest tightening almost painfully at how wounded he looked. “It wasn’t.”

There were layers of wrongdoing to unravel surrounding her plot to steal the amphora. Lying was just the tip of the iceberg. Morally, it was the same crime, but she knew that using her powers on Adrian had a greater impact on the situation than her manipulation of his guards. 

“I’m sorry, Adrian,” she said softly, holding out her hands, palms facing outward. “But I had to. I don’t have time to wait.”

He opened his mouth to respond, clearly offended, but Jax interjected, coming to her aid. “You know she’s right, Adrian. No matter how hard we looked, we weren’t going to find a better solution in a week. And it sounds like Di’s only got a couple of days.”

“And you?” Kamilah demanded, looking at Gaius, her expression harsh and condemning. “You allowed this?”

Gaius bristled, his eyes narrowing. His tone bordered on a snarl, carefully contained. “I don’t tell Diana what to do. And it is not my life that is directly at stake. Nor is it yours.”

Kamilah looked affronted at his remark, her lips twisting into a stubborn pout. But as she glanced at Diana, shame softened her features. Kamilah turned away, her lips pressed into a grim line, and said no more.

Adrian shifted his stakes into one hand, placing the other on the polished surface of his desk, his finger tapping with pent-up frustration. “This is not how we do things.”

“And how  _ do _ we do things, Adrian?” Jax questioned, an edge in his voice as he stood from where he had been perched on the arm of a leather settee. “By listening to what you and Kamilah say? The Council may be disbanded, but why should you two make all the decisions? If anything,  _ we _ had the majority.”

“The majority?” Kamilah scoffed, waving a hand between Jax, Gaius, and Diana. “You mean you and the two people who have absolutely zero sense of self-preservation?” She shook her head, rolling her eyes. “You didn’t even say anything, Matsuo. How can you complain about being told what to do when you don’t even speak up?”

Diana suppressed a groan. This was really happening. They were airing things out here and now.

Jax’s face reddened but his retort was lost as Adrian turned to Diana, voice tense. “I  _ thought _ we agreed that we work together. That we don’t do things alone.”

“Yeah, well, I _ wasn’t _ alone, Adrian,” Diana fired back, crossing her arms. She understood his cause for concern―truly, she did. But― “Just because you aren’t with me doesn’t mean I am by myself. Jax, Gaius, and Serafine were with me. You can’t keep making yourself responsible for everyone else’s life!”

Adrian’s eyes flicked to Serafine, as if just realizing that she was here as well. Diana read the emotions that warred across his face―fury with the other woman for attacking Diana  _ twice _ but also sorrow to see what his old friend had become.

“―you’ve been _ gardening _ for the last two decades, Kamilah,” Jax was saying, pointing a finger first at Kamilah, then back at himself. “While  _ I’ve _ been keeping watch over Manhattan. I think that gives me more of a right―”

“Please.” She rolled her eyes, unflustered. “Live a couple centuries and see for yourself how insignificant twenty years is.”

“If I have to hear  _ one more time _ about how old you are―”

“That is  _ enough _ .” 

A hush fell over the room as every eye swiveled to Gaius, who gazed coolly back at them, chin lifted and jaw proudly set. He glanced around, meeting each stare in turn until he finally looked at Rheya, his expression unreadable.

“What’s done is done,” he said smoothly, lip curled slightly in disdain. “There is no point in wasting time arguing. The sooner we move on, the sooner we can end this and be rid of  _ her.  _ That’s what you all want, isn’t it?”

Rheya’s eyes narrowed at him, the only sign of her annoyance. But she didn’t deign to reply.

At last, Kamilah let out an irritated breath, then begrudgingly nodded. She perched on the edge of Adrian’s desk in front of Rheya, her blade balanced on her knee, its point glinting viciously in the light. “How do we know we can trust her? That she won’t kill us all the moment we turn our backs?”

Rheya rolled her eyes before fixing Kamilah with a dull look that hinted at boredom. “I am here, aren’t I? And you are still alive.”

Diana ignored her, addressing the others instead. “We can’t trust her. But we  _ can _ trust that she won’t risk the opportunity to help Demetrius. And right now, the only way she gets to help him is by not killing any of you, so  _ I _ don’t kill  _ her. _ ”

Kamilah and Adrian glanced at each other, expressions hesitant. Then, evidently coming to a mutual understanding, they both slowly nodded. Adrian’s gaze slid to Serafine. “And what… of her?”

Serafine winced slightly as everyone’s attention shifted to her. Diana watched her throat bob, then she straightened, meeting Adrian’s stare. “I promise, I do not intend to bring you harm. Any of you. Whatever you ask of me, I will do.”

Adrian’s eyes met Diana’s and she nodded, tendrils of her psychic power curling throughout the room. “She’s telling the truth.”

Kamilah let out a long breath between her teeth. “Very well. Everyone in this room is an ally for the time being.” She cut Diana a look, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Unless you have any more surprises?”

Diana shook her head. “That’s it. The only thing that’s left on the agenda is to go to the island and finish this.”

A loaded silence fell over the group as the gravity of what they were about to do set in.

“So…” Jax said slowly, voicing the words no one else dared to say. “There’s no point in wasting anymore time.”

“You’re right,” Gaius affirmed, straightening. He unslung his backpack, ridding himself of any unnecessary weight as he turned to Diana. “We should leave soon.”

_ Are you ready? _ he questioned, his eyes searching her face.  _ To finish this, once and for all? _

_ No _ , she wanted to say. But she nodded, resolute. “It’s time.”

“Finally,” Rheya drawled. “I suppose it will be the three of us then?” she assumed, waving her hand between Diana and Gaius.

“And Serafine,” Diana spoke up, causing everyone to turn to her with raised brows, including Serafine herself. “While Rheya deals with the Tree, Gaius and I will need all of the help we can get fighting off Ferals. The Tree has grown much stronger since we were last on the island. And if our last visit was anything to go off of, the Tree will resist.”

“So, you want to take… Serafine?” Jax questioned, brows drawn. He glanced at Serafine. “No offense.”

She did not seem to notice. Serafine looked just as puzzled as everyone else. Diana felt Gaius questioning her through the bond, the gears of his mind turning.  _ What are you planning? _

“Serafine’s a psychic, is she not?” Diana lifted a single brow, even as she replied,  _ I told you before. Serafine needs closure. If she sees Rheya sacrifice herself willingly, there will be no more doubt. No more hostility.  _ “Of everyone here, her mind is one of the strongest. She should be able to resist the Tree’s influence a little longer. Plus,” she added, thinking of Copenhagen. “She’s not bad in a fight.”

Serafine’s lips parted in surprise, then she bowed her head. “ _ Merci _ , Diana.”

Diana nodded in response. “Then it’s settled. The four of us will go.”

“Can you manage to take four people at once, Diana?” Adrian asked, brows furrowed.

Diana pursed her lips. Could she?

“She can,” Gaius answered for her, taking her hand.  _ What’s mine is yours,  _ he murmured inside her mind. “I’ll help her.”

As if to make his meaning clear, Gaius used the bond to set a bit of his power through their joined hands. It burned against her skin like a glowing ember, wonderful and warm. 

“When do we go?” Serafine asked.

Kamilah frowned. “I will need to retrieve the Dainsleif. Can you wait another twenty minutes?”

Diana felt all eyes turned to her, but she only met Gaius’s. She nodded. “When you return, we leave.”

“I will be quick.” Kamilah dipped her chin and response and slid off the edge of Adrian’s desk. As she strode for the exit, she paused by Rheya and in a flash, drove her remaining dagger into the arm of the chair, right between the priestess’ fingers, spurring a cry of dismay from Adrian. “If you try anything―”

“You will do nothing,” Rheya snapped, lips pulling back in a snarl. She sat back in the chair and plucked Kamilah’s dagger out of the cushioned arm, bits of stuffing lazily drifting out as she did. She turned the blade over in her hand, then wordlessly offered the ornate hilt to Kamilah. 

Kamilah exhaled sharply through her nose, infuriated, but Diana intervened. “I can handle her, Kamilah.”

A muscle in her jaw feathered, but Kamilah loosed a long breath and relented, taking back her blade and tucking it into her suit before retrieving the other from the ground and silently slipping out of the room.

Some of the tension eased slightly, but not by much. Diana shifted uncomfortably on her feet, then reclaimed her seat, pulling Gaius to lounge on the arm beside her. Jax resumed sharpening his blade, although this time there was some menace in his movements as he kept his eyes on Serafine and Rheya, who seemed content to sit in silence. Adrian glared at the array of trinkets that littered his desk, fingers absently twirling a silver stake. Diana knew they would have to have a talk about what had happened in the basement archives, but for now, it was best to let him brood and process things on his own. 

After a few minutes passed, Jax carefully set his katana aside, seemingly satisfied with its quality, and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Hey, lady,” he said, addressing Rheya with his usual gruffness. “Can I ask you a question?”

All eyes swiveled to Jax as Rheya raised a single brow. “If I say no, will you still pester me anyway?”

“Probably.”

Rheya sighed, then waved her hand as if to say,  _ Go on. _

“What was it like?” Jax questioned, frowning slightly. “When you died, I mean. Is there anything there? An afterlife? Heaven or Hell?”

Rheya’s lips flattened into a distasteful line. “Have you grown bored of the world of the living already, youngling?”

Diana knew that Jax typically would have bristled at such a comment but he simply shook his head, face drawn in thought. “No. I just… have lost a lot of people.”

Another silence lapsed between the group in the wake of his words. Everyone there was undoubtedly thinking of their lost loved ones. Having them was unavoidable when one leads a life as long and dangerous as theirs. Diana wondered who Jax was thinking of. Takeshi was the first to come to mind. But there was also Lily and the countless members of his Clan that had perished in the Battle of New York. Perhaps he was thinking of all of them. Diana knew she saw the faces of the people she lost every day, regardless of how close they were. 

When Rheya finally answered, she looked… shaken. “At first, it was dark and cold,” she murmured, her gaze glued to the floor. “I thought that was it. That there was nothing. When Xenocrates had condemned me to the Tree, it was as if I had merely gone to sleep and woken up years later. But this… this was different. It was permanent.”

Diana and Gaius shared a look. They both had a similar experience. It was as if death was only a slumber. But perhaps that was because they were meant to come back.

“But after a while had passed, I realized that I was in a corridor,” Rheya continued, voice haunted. “It was endless. There were thousands of doors, but none of them led to a way out. Instead, each one seemed to show me a memory of my past. Some of them―” She shook her head, unusually pale. “Some of them were truly horrible. None of the memories were ever in the same place. There were many that I was not able to find again, no matter how hard I tried to find them.”

“But you were only gone for about an hour before I brought you back.” Diana frowned, brows knitting. The way Rheya was describing this… it sounded as if she had been trapped for years.

“An hour for you, perhaps,” Rheya granted, her hands falling into her lap. “But time passes differently there. I cannot tell you how long I spent wandering those halls.”

“Was there anyone else there?” Adrian asked, the first words he had spoken in a while.

A crease formed between Rheya’s brows and her lips parted, her gaze distant. “I… I am not certain. I never saw anyone else,” she said slowly, as if even she was struggling to grapple with what she had experienced. “But I heard them. Sensed them. I heard thousands of voices, felt the ghosts of hundreds of bodies in that infinite corridor. But I was always alone. After a while, I began to wonder if they were just figments of my imagination.”

“Did you recognize any of the voices? Iola’s?” It was Gaius who spoke up, his voice solemn. He swallowed. “Xenocrates’s?”

Diana gazed up at his profile and took his hand into her own. His fingers tightened around hers, gratitude flowing freely through the bond.

For a moment, Rheya’s expression was pained. Then, she replied, “No. And I am glad of it. I would not wish that upon anyone.” She glanced out the window, her dark eyes reflecting the sparkling lights of the Manhattan skyline beyond. “Perhaps they were somewhere else. Somewhere better.”

Another silence fell, although this one remained unbroken. Everyone was considering Rheya’s words, consumed by their own thoughts.

Exactly twenty minutes later, Kamilah returned with the enchanted dagger in hand. She slid the Dainsleif half out of its leather casing to show Diana its polished blade, then held it up, the hilt of bone facing outward. “As you requested.”

“Thank you, Kamilah,” Diana replied, gingerly taking the knife and tucking it into her boot. Diana drew the Mercurian Compass out from beneath her suit and flicked her wrist. A thin blade slid free of her hidden gauntlets as her gaze found Serafine’s, then Rheya’s, “No point in waiting. We leave now.”

Diana felt Gaius’s palm settle between her shoulders, warm and reassuring, as his other hand cradled hers and the Compass. Serafine delicately placed her hand on Diana’s elbow and Rheya gracefully rose to reluctantly hold onto her shoulder. Diana closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath to steel her nerves as she lowered the blade to her palm.

“Wait!”

Diana’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze settling on Adrian, who stood before them, his hand outstretched. His throat bobbed and Diana recognized the concern and fear that clouded his dark gaze. His hand fell back to his side, hanging uselessly. 

As he glanced at Kamilah and Jax, who looked equally anxious and unwilling to see her go, Diana realized that she looking at her family―the people who had been with her ever since the beginning, who had fought by her side countless times, who had witnessed her death and rebirth―for what was possibly the last time. She did not know what awaited them on the island―what complications she had failed to foresee―and a part of her wished that she could take them with her, to have them by her side in the end. But she knew they were safer here. 

Diana silently wondered if she was making a mistake in bringing Gaius with her, but she knew he would not have it any other way. 

“Before you go,” Adrian began, lips pulling into a frown. “Shouldn’t we say―”

Diana’s throat tightened. She knew where this was going. “No,” she murmured softly, shaking her head. “No goodbyes. This isn’t…” She trailed off. She did not want to tell anymore lies.

“This isn’t goodbye, Adrian,” Kamilah finished for her, squeezing his shoulder, but as Kamilah met her gaze, Diana saw the rare glimmer of fear in the other woman’s eyes. Kamilah had been there on the island―she knew how dangerous it was, the risks they took in going there.

“At least let me give you this,” Jax said, coming to stand by Kamilah and Adrian as he held out his sword to her. There was a fiery resolution about him, as if he could guarantee their success and safe return through sheer will alone. “I know you are already a walking armory, but you can never have too many weapons.”

Diana hesitantly took the sword, weighing it her hands before she strapped it to her back. She squeezed his shoulder. “Thank you, Jax.”

“Just be safe, Di.” There was a pleading note in his voice that made Diana’s heart ache. He looked to Gaius with a bit of begrudging respect. “Both of you.”

Gaius dipped his chin in acknowledgment, fingers tightening around Diana’s.  _ It’s time. _

Diana nodded and sliced into her palm, staining the golden amulet red as it glowed anew. She felt Gaius’s power flow into her, spreading through her veins like molten lava. Diana inhaled sharply, her spine curving with the influx of power, golden and ancient. Her vision blurred with tears as she answered the Compass’ call and took one last look at the friends she held so dearly, who she had loved with a heart of wildfire, and disappeared. 


	32. Chapter 31: Almost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all comes down to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: blood, violence, and death

**_The Island, 2044_ **

It seemed that even the Spiderferals knew that tonight was the night everything would change.

As the ground solidified beneath them and the light faded, Diana’s stomach twisted into a knot. Her gaze fell upon the teeming hordes of Ferals that laid between them and the Tree of Eternal Death.

Gaius swore viciously and Serafine murmured something in French as Rheya, her attention immediately drawn to the Tree, breathed, “Demetrius.”

Several Spiderferals turned in their direction and hissed, drawing the attention of other beasts. There had to be over a hundred of them standing in their way.

“We need to cut a path through,” Gaius said grimly, his jaw tense as he scanned the perimeter, noting that none of the Ferals moved to strike. It was as if they were waiting for them to make the first move. “Serafine and I will lead and deal with most of the Ferals. You two focus on making it to the Tree.”

 _Make sure Rheya does what we came here to do,_ Gaius added through the bond and Diana nodded. 

She gazed down at Jax’s sword, weighing it in her palm, then unsheathed her own and held it out to Serafine. “Do you know how to use one of these?”

“It’s no cutlass, but I can make do, _ma chérie_ ,” Serafine replied as she wrapped her fingers around the hilt. She turned towards the Spiderferals, twirling the blade in a flashy arc and settled into a fighting stance.

“Good,” Diana smiled grimly, retrieving the Dainsleif from her boot. “Rheya.”

Rheya sniffed in disapproval. “I do not need a weapon for this ilk.”

“Take it anyway,” Diana insisted, shoving it into her hand. “You’ll need it soon enough.”

Rheya’s lips thinned, but she closed her fingers around the hilt regardless.

“Are you ready to fight, Serafine?” Gaius questioned as he calmly scanned the perimeter and unsheathed his _gladius_ , every bit the soldier and military commander he had once been. The Undying Centurion.

“You call this a fight, Shadow King?” Serafine challenged, her face set with unrivaled determination. In that moment, Diana saw the Serafine Dupont of legend _—_ the pirate, assassin, adventurer, and queen _—_ not just Rheya’s servant. “Perhaps you have lost your touch.”

Gaius’s gaze slid to hers, amusement flickering across his countenance as he lifted a single brow. “On the contrary, Serafine,” he replied, casting a glance towards Diana. “I feel better than ever.”

“Then a couple of Ferals shall be no problem for you, _non?”_ she asked, the hint of a smile on her face. “ _Le Démon de Orléans_ , shall we show them how we did it in The Hundred Years’ War? The good old days, as you say?”

His lips split into a wicked grin. “It would be my pleasure, Serafine Dupont.”

“The Hundred Years’ War?” Diana questioned, even as the Spiderferals began to grow restless, edging forward. “Like with Joan of Arc?”

“Precisely,” Gaius nodded. He turned to Diana, expression softening. He ducked down so that they were at eye level and cupped her cheek with his hand, the ring of red thread tickling her skin. “Be safe.”

Diana grabbed the front of his shirt and tugged him forward, sealing her lips to his in a searing kiss that made her blood sing. When she pulled away, she felt dazed as she murmured, “You too.”

The grin he gave her was so boyish and free, Diana forgot how to breathe. 

He drew back, his eyes never leaving hers as blue flame blossomed in the palm of his hand, then licked up the length of his gladius.

 _I love you,_ he thought down the bond. Then, without another word, Gaius lunged into the fray, bringing a swift and brutal death upon the first wave of Ferals that raced towards them. He drove his _gladius_ into the gut of one Spiderferal and yanked it up, cleaving it in two before he spun and grabbed another by the head. Diana watched, awestruck as his fingers tensed against the Feral’s skull and cobalt flame burst from its eyes and mouth before its body dissolved into ash.

“Well then,” Serafine said, visibly impressed. She turned to Diana and Rheya, waving her blade towards the fight. “Shall we?”

Diana exhaled sharply through her nose and nodded sharply before sprinting forward, her power coiling inside her like a snake waiting to strike. A Spiderferal hissed at her, lunging for her neck but Diana dropped to the ground and slid. She whipped her sword up as the Feral’s decaying body hurled over, slashing clean through its midsection. Black blood sprayed as the two halves of the beast tumbled to the ground and turned to ash. 

Diana sprung to her feet, eyes narrowing in on the approaching horde of Ferals. Now that she no longer needed to put a damper on her power to avoid being tracked, Diana let herself burn like a wildfire. She flung her hand out, emitting a psychic blast that sent the snarling creatures flying. Several collided with the surrounding trees, brittle bones snapping on impact. 

She felt the air shift around her and Diana glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Serafine guard her back, decapitating one Spiderferal and severing the arm of another. Beyond, blue flame exploded across the clearing, obliterating everything it came into contact with. Gaius hardly seemed to notice the devastating blow he had just dealt as he effortlessly continued slashing, stabbing, and searing through any Feral that entered his line of sight as they kept on coming, flooding through the trees. 

And then there was Rheya. Diana had never seen her fight in an open battle like this, but it was a sight to behold. She did not move with the same calculated, lethal grace as Gaius, nor the ferocity and reckless abandon Serafine blazed with. No, Rheya was a monolith, moving at her own pace towards the tree, steady and unwavering. She did not engage—rather she let the Ferals come to her as she moved along her straight path and dealt with them like they were no more than pests. 

As Diana reared back to deliver a high kick, driving the knife at the toe of her boot into the skull of one Feral and stabbing through the eyes of another, she observed as Rheya caught a charging Spiderferal by the throat. She effortlessly snapped its neck in her clenched fist and flung its decaying body aside without so much as stirring a single hair on her head

Well. There was no doubt that the priestess could hold her own. 

Diana slid into the killing calm, her mind going wonderfully quiet. Violence became a song in her blood as she whirled through the snarling mass, a maelstrom of death and destruction. She slammed her elbow back into the chest of a Feral, feeling it cave beneath her arm, and cleaved another from navel to chin, black blood splattering her cheek as she surged forward, flowing like a stream around a rock. 

There was no way to tell how much time had passed before they finally came within range of the Tree. She expelled another blast of psychic energy that sent any Spiderferals in her path careening backward as she ushered Rheya forward. As soon as Diana entered the clearing, a wall of fire sprung up at her back, warding off any Ferals.

For a split second, Diana met Gaius’s gaze amidst the skirmish. _Go,_ he urged.

“Do you have the Dainsleif?” Diana turned her back to the fight, directing her attention to the next part of their mission. She flicked her wrist and the blades of her suit retracted, although she held on to Jax’s sword just in case. 

Rheya held the bone-handled knife up, wiping off the black blood of Ferals on the pants Serafine had loaned her. Wordlessly, she turned to the Tree and balanced on the roots, holding the ancient blade above her arm.

“Wait,” Diana reached out, stilling Rheya with her hand, her heart in her throat. She knew they shouldn’t dally, but it felt like everything was happening too fast for her mind to catch up. And beyond that, she couldn’t explain it, the odd feeling that suddenly came over her _—_ a reluctance to carry this plan through. “Are you certain?”

This was Rheya, her ancestor and former enemy. Diana had watched her die before, had been the one to bring a grisly death upon her. But somehow, this felt different. Even though she was not actively taking Rheya’s life, Diana couldn’t help but feel as if Rheya’s fate weighed heavily upon her shoulders. After all, she had been the one to lead Rheya here, had resurrected her for this very task, like a pig raised for slaughter,

She did not understand it—this sudden strange empathy, and even sense of kinship, for the woman who had brought so much pain and darkness into the world and into the lives of the people Diana loved so dearly. Diana should be unbothered, considering all that Rheya had done. Some would have even considered her to be too generous for giving the priestess this chance to do some good.

“I was not aware I had a choice.” Rheya fixed her with an odd look, her eyes roaming across Diana’s face. Her brow creased ever so slightly, lips barely thinning. “You are conflicted.”

“We deserve to have a say in our fate,” Diana replied, thinking of all of the times she had had that choice taken away from her and despised it. She shook her head, arms falling uselessly to her sides. Diana didn’t say any more, but she didn’t have to. The words left unspoken were clear: _Even you._

Rheya stared at her for a moment longer, then gave her the smallest of smiles tinged with sorrow. “You still have a human heart, Diana. Perhaps that is why you will succeed.” She shook her head, facing the Tree once more. She stroked her fingers almost tenderly down the blackened trunk, her eyes distant. “I decided my fate years ago in the depths of those caves.”

“When Phampira led you to the Tree of Eternal Life,” Diana inferred, recalling the memory she had seen less than an hour ago. Rheya’s eyes flicked to hers, widening slightly.

“How did you know that?”

Truthfully, she didn’t know. She had heard Phampira’s voice, urging her to observe the memories. But why those memories were important? Diana shrugged noncommittally. “I am the Bloodkeeper.”

Rheya pursed her lips as if she sensed the half-truth, but did not press the matter. “Yes,” she nodded. “When Phampira led me to the Tree.”

“If you could go back and undo it,” Diana began, chewing her lip. “If you could choose not to take Phampira’s blessing and become the First, would you do it?”

She had no plans of going back in time once again and actually carrying out this mad plan, and most definitely destroying life as she knew it, but she was curious.

Rheya answered without hesitation. “No.”

Diana pursed her lips, attention straying to the melee that continued beyond Gaius’s ring of flame. Blue fire ate across the clearing, licking up the trees and consuming everything in their path, and Gaius continued to cull the herd of undead monsters, a whirlwind of shadow and steel. Serafine intercepted a fleeing Spiderferal, grabbing one of its many appendages and using its momentum to hurl it straight into another before skewering them both on Diana’s sword.

“You fear power,” Rheya observed, angling her body to give Diana an appraising look. Her gaze followed Diana’s, settling on the Second Son. “But you need not,” she continued after a moment, her voice firm and wise. “It can be used for immeasurable good, so long as you wield it wisely. I thought it could be me once. Perhaps it will be you.”

Rheya turned back to the Tree, placing her hand upon the trunk. Diana watched as Rheya closed her eyes, her lips mouthing words in ancient Greek. _Farewell._ When she was finished, she drew in a deep breath and straightened, positioning the Dainsleif over the tender flesh of her inner arm.

“I hope you find him in the Afterlife,” Diana said softly. She did not need to specify who she was talking about. They both knew.

“I do not,” Rheya replied, her voice equally quiet. She glanced over her shoulder, her face placid once again although her tone was grave. “When the gods call, Diana, you answer.”

Before Diana could question what that met, Rheya brought the blade down. Diana grimaced, unable to watch until the scent of copper flooded her senses and she tasted pennies on her tongue, signifying the deed was done. Rheya leaned against the tree, her lifeblood flowing freely down her arm and coursing down her fingers. Diana looked on, entranced, as the blood pooled at her fingertips and hung there, suspended like a chandelier made of garnets. Then, the droplets fell, splattering atop the gnarled roots of the Tree where they seemed to be absorbed by the blackened wood.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, where Rheya’s blood touched the Tree, blotches of stark white bloomed, seeping through the bark like bleach. Rheya gasped aloud in shock, falling to her knees as her steady stream of ichor turned to a gush, seeping into the roots as the darkness burned away. As Rheya’s exclamations of surprise turned to grunts of pain, Diana realized that Rheya’s blood was not simply flowing faster. It was being _pulled_ out of her.

Diana reached out a cautious hand but Rheya shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. “Let me do this. Let me help him.”

Diana hesitated, unsure if she had the stomach to witness this, but she nodded and stepped back. She forced herself to watch over Rheya, to observe her ancestor’s last moments and final sacrifice. 

_You can’t erase the past, s_ he had told Rheya back in the opera house. _You acted on your own and I don’t know if redemption is possible for you Rheya. But you can at least die doing the right thing, for once. You can die to save Demetrius. And the rest of the world._

Diana wondered, not for the first time, what good Rheya could have done had she been on the right side. Redemption… what did that even mean? Who got to decide who deserved a shot at it and who did not? Who determined whether one had made up for all of the bad they had done? Could anyone ever truly be absolved of their crimes?

Diana did not have a universal answer for that. She was not even sure that such a thing existed. But as her attention shifted from Rheya, who was pale and shaking, to Gaius, who was so alive and burning like a falling star, she knew that redemption, at least, was possible for those who were willing to work for it. 

* * *

Gaius had not fought like this in ages. 

He crushed the skull of one Spiderferal, then flipped his _gladius_ in his hand, driving it back and straight into the gut of another behind him as he ducked a claw aimed for his head. He felt a body roll over his back, the movement too precise and coordinated to be an accident. 

When he straightened, he saw Serafine, slicing Diana’s katana clean through the appendages of a nearby Feral. She glanced over her shoulder, shooting him a roguish grin. “ _Bonsoir,_ Shadow King.”

_Gaius is on a battlefield bordering the city-state of Aenos, his golden armor a comforting weight on his body as he slices and dodges around enemy soldiers, shouting orders to his men all the while. As he engages another grunt, he sees a gleaming bronze sword on his peripheral, arcing towards his neck, aiming for skin left exposed by his armor. He shifts, preparing to let his shoulder take the worst of the blow since he has no space to move. But before the blade can make contact, another intercepts it, batting it aside and maneuvering to send the bronze weapon flying._

_Gaius shoves the soldier before him back, driving his_ gladius _clean through the plate of armor and into the man’s chest as he turns to find his comrade in arms._

_“Hello, brother,” Xenocrates smiles, the expression more roguish than princely and diplomatic. War is not his forte, but he can certainly pull his own weight in a battle._

_“Have you finally grown tired of catering to the mortals and their whims, Xeno?”_

_“It’s called diplomacy, Gaius,” Xenocrates replies. In a flash, he unsheathes a dagger at his belt and flings it over Gaius’s shoulder, where it embeds itself in the forehead of a Aenoan soldier. “Watch your back, brother, or I will watch it for you.”_

_Gaius grins and turns at the same time Xeno does, and together, they dive back into the battle._

Gaius blinked away the memory as he burned through the graying skin of a Spiderferal with his heavenly fire, forcing himself to stay focused on the skirmish around him _—_ even as he felt himself slide back into that beastly creature Rheya had created when she made him her blessed warrior.

But he wasn’t her warrior. Her soldier. Her Second Son. Not anymore.

There were times when he felt like a vision of old, a relic from the past in a modern world that continually moved on without him. Wars were no longer waged on battlefields and victories did not depend on the skill of lone soldiers. Alliances were not forged through marriages but instead were based on history and who-did-what in some war Gaius had not been around to see. 

He did not understand how individuals or even entire nations went about consolidating power now. He did not know much about modern politics but it appeared to him that quite a few figureheads did not have the qualities he had seen in many of the great leaders come to know in his time: lineage, military experience, a knack for strategizing, or even eloquence. 

Not that he wanted that anymore. Power. 

Gone were his days of scheming, seducing, and politicking. He had no interest in pulling the strings behind the scenes or building an empire. Although, truthfully, he did not know that left him. He was a defender, yes. He would always serve to protect those who could not do so themselves. But he did not know how to be at peace. He only knew how to dream of it, to fight for it. 

Long ago, on a train bound for Rome, Diana had once told him that he had the capacity to be more than just a soldier. At the moment, he could not conceive of it: the idea that he could possibly lead a life that consisted of more than just fighting and killing the right creatures. But in time, he had begun to see what else was out there. In fact, he had started to grow tired of the fight, no matter how it made his blood sing.

At some point—he was not quite sure when—life for Gaius had shifted. Life did not happen when he was out in the indistinguishable countryside, killing unnamed beasts and saving small villages. It happened when he walked through the doorway of wherever he was staying for the night—his cottage by the beach, a hotel room in Switzerland, or even a cramped apartment in Manhattan—and felt like he could breathe again. Felt like he was _safe. Loved._

He knew that he had really only started living when Diana _—_ his _wife_ , now _—_ had found him in Aosta. But during his time alone in Caherdaniel, he realized that he had dug himself out of the hole Rheya left him in by himself. Yes, his wife had given him the chance to walk this path, had shown him the pinprick of light at the end of his tunnel, but he had come all of this way on the accord of his own unbreakable will. 

Gaius did not know what awaited him, but he wanted to find out. 

So he would fight once more. For his future, for his beloved, and for the life he had only just begun to live. 

* * *

“Rheya!”

Diana turned in time to see Serafine turn from the fight with the remaining Spiderferals and bound towards them, eyes wide with horror. 

“No!” Rheya flung out a bloody hand as her forehead kissed the lightening tree, the tension leaving her body. “Stay back! I need… to finish this.”

“You will die!” Serafine exclaimed, pausing at the edge of Gaius’s fire as her attention shifted to Diana. “Diana,” Serafine called, her tone insistent. Pleading. “You have to stop her. Before it is too late.”

As if sensing her gaze, Rheya turned her head, meeting Diana’s eyes. Diana swallowed the lump in her throat and slowly shook her head before she replied, “No.”

Through the haze of pain, Rheya’s dark eyes glinted in understanding.

“No?” Serafine echoed numbly, her brows knitting. Then she quickly ducked and dispatched an oncoming Spiderferal before returning her focus. 

“I can’t,” Diana said softly, turning her face away. She saw Gaius, just beyond the line of fire, a blur of shadow and sparkling silver. 

“You can’t or you won’t?” Serafine demanded, her voice fraught with fear and grief. Diana understood then, that this was what it looked like to watch someone lose the person who meant the world to them. 

“Both,” she said gently, meeting Serafine’s gaze once more. Tears streaked the other woman’s face, mingling with anger. “We need to end this. Today.”

“What right do you have _—_ ”

“This is my choice, Serafine,” Rheya ground out, squeezing her eyes shut. “This is my will.”

“But… my Goddess.” Serafine shook her head, disbelieving. “We have waited for you for so long.”

“And I have waited for him even longer,” Rheya murmured, closing her eyes once more.

“Serafine!” Gaius barked, drawing her attention as more Spiderferals flooded from the surrounding trees. Serafine glanced between Rheya and the beasts, her gaze hesitant, lips parting as if to protest. Diana’s fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword, preparing to engage Serafine if she needed to. Serafine’s eyes lingered on Rheya, sorrow filling them as she came to a decision.

“As you wish,” Serafine relented, her voice soft, and in those three simple words, Diana heard a goodbye. Serafine bowed her head, then turned, and dove back into the fray.

Rheya grunted in pain, her body sagging. The Tree was almost completely white now, bleached by Rheya’s blood, save for a pitch black core of darkness at the heart of the trunk.

“Diana,” Rheya called, drawing her attention.

“What is it?”

Rheya met her gaze. “…It is time.” 

Rheya flattened her other palm against the Tree, right over the remaining patch of darkness, the last of the blight. There was a loud _whoosh_ , as if all of the air had been sucked from the atmosphere. Then, Rheya gasped, spine curving and head falling back as the last of her lifeblood drained into the Tree, the black stain shrinking to a pinprick. 

Rheya topped over and Diana heard a sickening crunch as her body crumpled atop the bone-white roots of the Tree. Beyond the ring of flame, the fighting had stopped, the last of the Ferals nothing more than a pile of dust at Gaius’s feet. A silence fell over the clearing, interrupted only by the crackling flame and Rheya’s broken breathing. Diana crouched beside the fallen priestess, carefully rolling her onto her back.

Rheya’s eyes were wide in horror when they met Diana’s, lips opening and closing as she gasped for breath. She reached up, her icy fingers brushing Diana’s cheek, leaving only a chill and three streaks of blood behind.

“It did not work,” Rheya whispered as her skin rapidly grayed, stretching tight over her bones. “It did not work.”

Diana’s breath caught in her throat as she looked from Rheya to the Tree. Her heart plummeted as her gaze fell on the pinprick of darkness that stood out like an inkstain on the Tree’s trunk. 

“No…” Diana whispered, her body growing cold. 

The darkness was _spreading_.

“Rheya,” Diana breathed, a plea in her voice as she gazed down at the First.

“I am not enough,” Rheya rasped, agonized. Her gaze slid back to Demetrius’s Tree as her eyes glazed over. She reached out, fingers searching. “My beloved…”

And then, she dissolved into ash.

_No…_

Diana stood shakily, staring blankly at her palms as Rheya’s ashes blew away on the wind. When she looked up, she met Gaius’s gaze across the clearing.

_I am not enough._

His face fell as he read the crestfallen expression on Diana’s face and understood. The plan had failed.

Diana’s hands trembled as she began to piece together all of Demetrius’s advice. When Diana had come to this island two years ago and offered up her blood, it had not been potent enough to purify the Tree. It was too diluted. 

_You are not enough. Your blood alone is not enough._

Her blood had not been enough _alone._ But perhaps now, combined with her power, it was _just_ enough to finish what Rheya had already started. 

It would take everything she had.

Diana stooped, picking up the Dainsleif. She weighed the bone-handled knife in her palm, then wiped it clean on her suit. She closed her eyes, seeking out the bond she shared with Gaius.

 _I love you, too,_ she whispered, because he had not given her the chance to say so earlier. Diana felt his alarm and disapproval peal through her mind like warning bells as she pulled back the sleeve of her suit, drew the Dainsleif across her arm, and spilled her blood onto the Tree.


	33. Chapter 32: Precipice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here again, at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: blood, violence, and death

**_The Island, 2044_ **

Time seemed to slow to a crawl.

 _I love you,_ Diana whispered into Gaius’s mind, invisible fingers brushing delicately over the curve of his bloodstained cheek, stealing his breath with them as they fell away.

Gaius watched through the flames as Diana drew the Dainsleif across her palm, her precious blood welling up and spilling over. Gaius heard Serafine’s exclamation of surprise, but he was already moving, his feet carrying him towards the Tree as Diana knelt before it and placed her hand against the blackening trunk. Darkness spread throughout the bleached bark like ink diffusing through water.

This was not part of the plan. This was not supposed to happen. Rheya’s sacrifice was supposed to be enough—they had brought her here so Diana would never have to face the Tree again. Something must have gone wrong, this wasn’t—

Curling his fingers, Gaius extinguished the ring of cobalt fire that encircled the Tree and fell to his knees beside her. His lips were moving but he could not even hear what he was saying—Diana’s name, probably—over the pounding of his heart and the blood rushing in his ears. There was a pit in his stomach that told him that this was bad. _Very_ bad. 

He tossed his _gladius_ aside, the ancient blade clanging as it rattled against the roots. His fingers curled around Diana’s shoulders, pulling her away from the trunk, but she held firm, as if she was tethered to the Tree and it to her. Her palm was fit flush to the bark, ichor trickling down the surface before being absorbed into the wood. Wherever Diana’s blood was drawn in, the Tree turned neither black nor white, but grey. 

“Diana, you have to stop,” he distantly heard himself say, pleading for her to let go. When he laid his hand atop her wrist, her skin was burning hot. Gaius suddenly became aware of the scent of ozone in the air, the way the hair on the back of his arms and neck stood on end. His mouth went as dry as sandpaper as he realized that Diana wasn’t just giving up her blood, but also her power. Her immortal life.

When she spoke, her voice was eerily calm, a far cry from the devastation he had seen on her face only moments before. He sensed the resolve in her and it made him want to rail against the heavens. “I have to do this, Gaius. This is what I was meant to do all along.”

“No.” He shook his head, fingers wrapping around her wrist and tugging to no avail. “No. Diana, Rheya was supposed to—”

“Rheya did the most damage,” Diana said softly, closing her eyes. The expression on her face was almost peaceful, even as the color drained from her cheeks. “I need to bring it home.”

“Demetrius said your blood wasn’t enough,” Gaius insisted, but he knew he was grasping at straws, he sensed the truth in her words, trusted the certainty with which she spoke. 

“He said that _alone_ , I was not enough,” she replied, taking in a deep breath. Gaius hated how still and resigned Diana was, how unreachable she seemed. She was right before him, but she might as well have been entire worlds away. “It may be diluted, but I still have Rheya’s blood. It will be enough to finish what Rheya started. It has to be.”

“Then it will take all of it,” he protested, and when Diana did not reply, he realized that she already knew this. He felt anger flare in him—anger at the world, at Demetrius for guiding her down this path, at Rheya for not being enough to finish this among many things, at and at Diana herself for not caring more about her own life. How could she preach to him that his life was worth living when she was so willing to throw her own away? “You _can’t.”_

Diana opened her eyes, and when she met his gaze, he saw the immeasurable sorrow contained within those dark eyes, which had begun to glaze over in pain. And mixed within all of that, an apology. “We don’t have any other choice.”

Gaius was distantly aware of Serafine watching from afar, a despondent expression on her face as he pleaded, his voice breaking, “Please don’t do this.”

Diana’s calm exterior broke and her brows drew together, her breath leaving her lungs in a rush. “I am sorry, my love,” she whispered brokenly, her voice thick with emotion. “I promised you an eternity and then some, but at most, we only ever had days.” She squeezed her eyes shut, crystalline tears sliding free. “It was all borrowed time.”

 _Borrowed time._ Even when they had been reunited in Aosta two years ago, Diana’s fate had already been determined. Everything that had ever happened—her birth as a Bloodkeeper, her Turning, her possession of Rheya’s powers—led her to this. Her life, all of it, had been borrowed time.

He refused to believe it. He did not spend three thousand years waiting for his equal, his perfect counterpart, and greatest love, just to lose her after a handful of months. “No. _No._ I _just_ found you, _diviana.”_

She was crying now, which only made Gaius’s heart ache even more. Hadn’t he just wished she would show some emotion? “I’m sorry, Gaius. I’m so sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, then stop this!” he demanded, even though he knew she would not. This was bigger than just the two of them. There were lives at stake, and they both knew that one sacrifice was worth the countless others hers would save. Her skin was hot against his as her power surged through her veins and into the tree, mottling it gray. Gaius’s chest tightened as he watched even her hair leach of its color, hues of vibrant, dark brown giving way to startling white. The Tree was draining her of life, stealing every last drop. 

This could not be the end. Gaius would not let it, would not accept it. Their story would not be one of love and loss. He ground his teeth in defiance and withdrew his hand from her wrist. Gaius wrapped his arm around her waist, cradling her body against his as he pressed his other palm to her chest and _pushed._

Diana’s eyes widened as she felt Gaius’s power, his own life force, flood through the bond and into her veins, mixing with her own as it drained into the Tree. She tried to pull away, but he would not let her. “Gaius, _no._ If you do this, the Tree will take us both.”

“If there is even a chance that this will save your life, Diana, then I will take it. At least there would be no question as to whether we have given enough,” he replied, closing his eyes as he drew upon the well of power that had sustained his life for so long. “Did you truly think I would choose to live without you?”

“Gaius, please…” Now Diana was the one who was pleading with him. 

“If this is our last day on earth, then so be it,” Gaius murmured, meeting her gaze. Already, his vision had begun to grow a little fuzzy. Diana was a little blurred at the edges, her skin beginning to glow with an inner light as her blood and their power mingled together. The light was brightest at her palm, where their shared essence drained into the tree. “When you face whatever awaits us after death, I will be right by your side.”

Diana’s expression was so twisted, filled with fear and pain and love and regret. With her free hand, she reached up, pressing her palm against his chest. For a moment, Gaius thought she would push him away and use whatever power she had left to hold him there. But then her fingers curled into the front of his shirt and she pulled him forward into her arms. When her lips found his, he tasted the salt of her tears on his tongue.

“I love you,” she whispered, and this time, it sounded like a goodbye.

Gaius did not reply. They both knew how he felt, that what lay between them was far too great to be captured by a few simple words. Instead he pressed his forehead to Diana’s, holding her close as they hurtled towards the end.

* * *

The walls between them had long since fallen away, but now there were no barriers left to split their souls, their minds. 

Unbridled, Gaius’s memories flashed behind Diana’s eyes at neck-breaking speed, starting all the way from the day he was born until now, just as her own flooded his mind.

* * *

**_746 B.C._ **

_Gaius is no more than nine years old, balancing on the jagged rocks as he nimbly leaps from stone to stone, racing along the seashore. His mother yells at him to slow down, to be careful, but her words fall on deaf ears. Blue eyes bright, he hurtles down the Mydiean coastline, his gaze never straying from the sparkling sea and the vessel that sits atop the waves, propelled forward by dozens of oars. His father is on that ship_ — _his_ father _, who had only just returned home and is already bound for the horizon once more._

_His mother shouts his name and he shouts his father’s._

_How long will it be until he comes back home this time? Every journey his father embarks on lasts longer than the one before. At first, it had only been days_ — _a quick trip to trade with a nearby city-state for some wares. Then, his father had returned, arms full of freshly dyed fabrics, sparkling necklaces for his wife, and all sorts of trinkets for his son. But the latest voyage had taken_ months _. And there was nothing to show for his father’s time away save for a whittled horse crudely carved from a piece of driftwood._

_Gaius is young, but he is old enough to know that trading is not the main reason his father leaves. There is something out there, living in the waves and bottomless depths that calls. Gaius only wishes the call of home was louder._

_His mother shouts again, pleading for him to come back, warning that it is getting dark, but he ignores her once more, refusing to let that vessel out of his sight. But at nine years old, he is only so nimble and a little too careless. His ankle catches a jagged outcropping of rock and he goes sprawling, his suntanned skin tearing on the stone as he goes sprawling along the sandblasted ground._

_Unbidden, his eyes blur with tears as his mouth fills with a metallic tang from where he bit his tongue. His chin stings but so does the rest of his body from where he scraped himself, yet he cannot bring himself to care. His attention is glued to the horizon, which blazes orange and pink. He stays there, on the ground, watching the boat shrink until it is no more than a speck on the waves. Eventually, he hears his mother’s footsteps as she crouches beside him, cooing gently._

_The sun disappears, his father’s ship along with it._

* * *

**_2001_ **

_Diana is turning five. Her hair falls in little ringlets that frame her round, gleeful face. She is wearing her nice dress, the one with flowers embroidered along the hem and the fluttery straps that she picked out with her mother. She sits at the edge of her bed, excitedly kicking her legs as she stares at the pink clock on her nightstand, watching the seconds tick by._

_The moment the arms point to one o’clock, she springs off her mattress, bounding out of her room. She takes the stairs to the ground floor two at a time, the buckles on her sandals jingling as she hops over the last three steps and races to the front door. She flings it open, beaming and ready to greet her party guests._

_But no one is there._

_Diana’s smile falls._

_“Honey, it’s barely one,” her mother says gently, emerging from the kitchen. “People are never on time.” She squeezes Diana’s shoulder, closing the door and steering her daughter towards the kitchen. “Come on. Do you want to watch me put the last of the icing on the cake?”_

_Diana’s heart feels a little heavy, but she nods vigorously and allows herself to be steered away. “Can I help?”_

_“Of course,” her mother replies. “It’s your birthday after all.”_

_She helps her mother put the finishing touches on the cake, but still, no one comes._

_She sits on the high stool next to the granite counter, her legs swinging with a little less enthusiasm than before as she nervously fiddles with the ends of her hair. “Do you think they aren’t going to come because… of what happened at the park last week?”_

_Diana’s mother looks over at her from where she pulls a vat of punch mixed with Jell-O from the fridge, the space between her fine brows creasing. “Of course not, baby. The other kids have already forgotten all about it.”_

_Diana nods, but she isn’t so sure._

_“Hey, bubbles, come help me skim the pool,” her father calls from the backyard through the mesh sliding door. He wears a wide straw hat, the pool net clutched in his hands. “I bet there’s some ladybugs that need saving.”_

_Diana casts a hesitant glance towards her mother, who nods encouragingly. “Go on. I’ll answer the door when people show up.”_

_Diana scoops three ladybugs out of the pool and sets them in the plants that border their neighbor’s fence. When she glances through the windows of her house, she sees her mother, standing alone in the living room, staring at the decorations she had spent all morning putting up as she talks on the phone. Judging by her mother’s expression, it is a heated conversation._

_Hours later, when the air starts to cool, hinting at the oncoming dusk, Diana opens her parents’ presents. They are the only ones she has._

_“Should we cut the cake now?” Diana’s mother asks as Diana sits alone amongst the pile of colored tissue paper. “It’s Funfetti. Your favorite.”_

_“But… it’s just us,” Diana mumbles, rubbing the hem of her dress between her fingers._

_Her parents share a glance before her father says, “I think we might have sent the wrong date out on the invitations. We’ll celebrate with the others later.”_

_Diana knows the date wasn’t wrong, but she nods anyway. “Okay.”_

_Her parents sing “Happy Birthday” to her, gathered around the dining room table. The candles are the kind that are meant to reignite a few times, but when Diana finally blows them out, she wishes that next year, her birthday will be a little better._

* * *

Gaius felt dizzy. Black spots fluttered at the edge of his vision and he held on tighter to Diana, unwilling to let her go. Her hair was as white as snow now, cascading down her shoulder and over his arms like a waterfall of liquid moonlight. He watched through a haze as she reached out, taking a lock of his hair between her fingers. It was streaked through with grey. For the first time in millennia, Gaius was starting to age.

If he continued on like this, he would not survive. His years would catch up with him.

He doubled down on his efforts, draining more of his life force into Diana, who looked pale and dull, like a photograph left out in the sun for too long.

 _You have always wanted to die for love,_ he thought distantly. _And now you will._

He closed his eyes and held on.

* * *

**_476 A.D._ **

_He wakes to the burning of smoke in his lungs._

_In one fluid movement, he gets to his feet, the cotton sheets sliding from his bare body as he looks out the open balcony and upon the burning city of Rome._

_He clenches his fist, fury burning through his veins. This is his city. His home. Death is in the air. The people of Rome are yelling, screaming, fleeing as their homes burn. Somewhere in the mix are vampires, his progeny. He wonders how many have died already._

_The double doors to his chamber burst open, emitting a frantic soldier. “_ Domine!” _he pants, evidently oblivious to Gaius’s current state of undress. “The Ostrogoths have scaled the walls and opened the Asinarian Gate!”_

_“I see that,” Gaius snarls, glaring over his shoulder, body gilded in the firelight. He stalks towards his armor and begins dressing. “What of Totila?”_

_“No sign of him,” the soldier reports, paling as if he feared this news would upset his superior._

_“And the garrison? Why haven’t they stopped this?”_

_The soldier’s swallow is audible. “They fled.”_

_Gaius freezes, his fingers stilling upon the buckle of his breastplate. His voice is deadly soft. “Fled?”_

_A terrified pause. “Yes,_ domine.”

 _Gaius glares at the wall, his gaze drifting to his_ gladius _. He exhales sharply through his nose, which still burns. It feels like there is a fire in his sinuses, his heightened senses muted by all of the smoke. His attention strays to the city beyond, the screams of innocents._

 _“..._ Domine? _” the soldier asks hesitantly, the fear in his voice apparent as he clearly wonders if Gaius will have his head for this news._

 _“The garrison is gone,” Gaius says slowly, picking hip his sword. His own face is reflected back at him, harsh and unyielding. He hears the soldier’s armor rattle as he shifts nervously. Even through the smoke, his fear is pungent. Gaius takes a steadying breath and sheathes his_ gladius _. “Then we are the last line of defense.”_

_He turns, resolute. “Evacuate the city. Arm every man that stands a chance with a blade. Protect the women and children.”_

_When the soldier does not move, evidently in denial that his commander’s order is so simple, so broad, Gaius snarls, “Go. Now. Or you can join the dead and I will deliver the message myself!”_

_The soldier needs no more encouragement. With a feeble, “Yes,_ domine _” he turns and races back into the hall. Gaius lets out a heavy sigh, then gazes back out at the burning city for a moment before turning his attention to the woman still slumbering peacefully in his bed. How she manages to sleep through all of this ruckus, he has no idea._

_He rounds the side of the bed and with incomprehensible tenderness, strokes his knuckles along the back of the woman’s cheek, waking her. His voice is gentle but stern. “Kamilah.”_

_Her eyes slide open, honey brown and warm as her gaze falls on him. A soft smile blooms on her lips. “My King.”_

_He watches as she takes note of his armor, the grim expression on his face. Her nostrils flare and she winces. “What is it? What is wrong?”_

_She sits up, attention immediately going to the open balcony, the polished marble red in the firelight. He knows she can see it for herself, but Gaius answers, “Rome has fallen. We must go.”_

_Kamilah’s lips part in horror, but she nods. This is not their battle. The squabble between Emperor Justinian and Totila, two mortal men, was not their problem, and even if they did get involved, they were only two vampires in a burning city, standing against an entire siege army. There was no way to find the other vampires in the city, assuming they were even still alive._

_Miraculously, no one engages them as they stalk through the blazing streets of Rome, sticking to the shadows. People sprint past them, fleeing for the gates. They are almost to the outskirts of the city when Gaius tenses, the hair on the back of his neck standing up on end as his stomach twists._

_He hears a scream in the direction from whence they came. A woman’s. And the cry of a child._

_He halts, staring hard at the ground as Kamilah continues on ahead. He knows he should keep going. He might have been a legatus, but Rome’s standing military was not what it had once been. He has not had to lead a legion into battle in years. This siege is the product of men and their egos. He owes mankind nothing._

_“My King,” Kamilah whispers from the shadows. “We must go. Quickly.”_

_Gaius grits his teeth, but he cannot force his feet to move forward. The woman screams again, the sound horrid and grating. His hand falls on the hilt of his sword, and as he meets Kamilah’s gaze, they both know what he is about to do._

_“Gaius…”_

_He pulls off his cloak, his armor glinting with the light of raging flames as he unsheathes his gladius. “Go,” he orders, nodding towards the city walls in the distance. “I understand that these are not your people, Kamilah. I will meet you when I have done all that I can here.”_

_Kamilah hesitates, glancing between him and the horizon. Then she purses her lips and tosses her own hood back, straightening as she unsheathes the twin daggers at her hip. “If you are fighting for mankind today, then I will be there beside you.”_

_Gaius knows better than to argue with her. So he only nods and turns, diving back into the burning city of Rome._

* * *

**_2018_**

_It is long past midnight, but Diana still cannot sleep._

_She tosses and turns, trying every position that she has ever fallen asleep in as if by finding the right one, she might finally slip into a peaceful slumber. She sticks her leg out from under the covers and for a second, it feels good. But now she is too cold. She huffs, rolling onto her side and curling into a ball. But that isn’t comfortable either._

_She does not know how much time passes before she gives up and groans, tossing the comforter back. Diana glares at the ceiling, then at her clock. It is nearly four in the morning. Usually, she would have to get up in three hours for work, except she doesn’t_ have _a job. She’s twenty-two, far from home, living with her cousin’s friend who is practically a stranger, unemployed, and broke in the most expensive city in the United States. Diana’s heart rate spikes._

_Great. Now there is absolutely no way she can go back to sleep now._

_Sighing, she gets to her feet and shoves her feet into her slippers as she pulls her old college sweatshirt over her head. There’s no point in laying in bed when she can’t sleep and her body is too restless. She needs to think._

_A few minutes later, she stands on the rooftop of her apartment building, elbows braced against the paint-chipped metal railing, the only thing separating her from a thousand foot plummet to the street below. Up here, the sounds of the city fall away into a distant hum, becoming nothing more than background noise. The air is cleaner, not by much, but enough so that Diana no longer breathes in the acrid scent of rotting garbage and sewage water. The night is cold, but Diana doesn’t mind. In a way, the bitter wind makes her feel more alive, the stinging in her skin keeps her tethered to her body._

_She takes a deep breath, fingers tightening around the rail, and counts to ten. Then, she exhales, closing her eyes._

Easy, Diana, _she thinks, willing her nerves to calm._ You’re okay. Everything is going to be okay. 

_She does this a few more times, filling her lungs with the cool air and letting it go until she can feel the ground solidify beneath her feet. Manhattan is scary and vast and full of possibilities, but she can handle this, just as she has handled everything else._

_“Hey, roomie,” someone says from behind her. “Is, uh, everything alright?”_

_“Oh!” Diana startles, eyes fluttering open. She turns, fingers sliding from the rail. “Hey, Lil.”_

_Her new roommate stands by the door that leads to the stairway back to the building’s interior. Like Diana, she is dressed in sweatpants and a sweater, a blanket bundled up beneath her arm, and a bag of wine dangling from her fingers._

_“I heard you leave,” Lily explains, with a shrug. “I fell asleep on the couch playing video games. Again. Well, you already know that,” she laughs, nervously. “Thanks, by the way, for turning off the TV. And giving me a blanket,” she says, holding up the one bunched beneath her arm._

_“Yeah, no problem,” Diana says lightly, offering the other woman a polite smile. They have only been roommates for about two weeks now, and have yet to figure out their dynamic. “Sorry if I woke you.”_

_“No, no, it’s alright. It’s not good for my neck to sleep on that couch,” Lily assures her, crossing the rooftop to stand by Diana’s side. “Having trouble sleeping?”_

_Diana’s smile turned into a wince. “Something like that. I think I got a little too deep into my own head. I thought I would come up here and sort things out.”_

_Lily laughed softly, “We’ve all done that.” She holds up the bag of wine. “Mind if I join you? We can… talk it out if you want. I’ve been around Manhattan for a little while, but I was where you are once. Or we can just drink and stare at constellations, or something.” She looks up at the sky and frowns. All of the city lights have put the stars to death. “Or pretend to, at least.”_

_This time, the smile that blooms on Diana’s face is genuine and easy. “I would like that.”_

_A short while later, they are deep into the bag of wine and Diana’s head is spinning. The conversation has shifted several times, from Diana’s confession of being a little in over her head, to Lily’s advice, then to videogames and their college days. Now they are giggling and snorting like children, spread out on the ground with their backs to the blankets as they point up at the clouds that lazily drift by._

_“That one_ — _” Lily hiccups, pointing at a cluster of clouds. Her arm wavers, pointer finger bobbing from side to side. “_ — _is_ definitely _a cricket. Oh my god. Did I ever tell you about the time I let loose a horde of crickets back in my hometown?”_

 _In her surprise, Diana is unable to stifle the burp that bubbles up through her lips, sparking another round of giggles. She tilts her head and squints hard at the cloud she thinks Lily is pointing to_ — _although truthfully, she cannot tell when Lily’s hand is waving to and fro like a stalk of wheat and the wind. “No,” she replies, turning and shoving Lily’s shoulder. “But now you have to.”_

 _“Well, you see_ — _hic!_ — _My father owns a bait and tackle shop…”_

_They talk like this for hours, and before they know it, the sun is coming up and their wine-filled bellies ache from laughing too hard. Their arms are interlocked as they squint against the morning light._

_Lily lets out a contented sigh, her head lazily rolling to the side to face Diana. When she speaks, her words are sluggish, but her tone is serious. “I know not everyone is tight with their roommates and things can get kind of tense when you’re living with someone,” Lily drawls, squeezing Diana’s hand to emphasize her point. “But I think_ — _no, I_ know— _that we are going to be good friends, Di. Best friends.”_

_With the liquor in her veins and her mind a little delirious from a lack of sleep, Diana can’t help but echo, “Best friends?”_

_“Absolutely!” Lily exclaims, flinging out her other arm and knocking the back of wine over. What little is left inside spills across the ground, seeping into the edge of the blanket, they cannot bring themselves to mind. “Like Thelma and Louise. Frodo and Sam. Bert and Ernie. Calvin and Hobbes. Han and Chewie_ — _”_

_“Shaggy and Scooby?” Diana offers and Lily’s eyes blow wide._

_“Yes!” she gasps, jostling Diana’s shoulders as she grins. “You get me! We’re on the same level, you and I. We’re going to be the coolest dynamic duo to exist.”_

_Diana’s smile is watery and she sniffs. “I would love that, Lil.”_

_Manhattan is scary and vast and full of possibilities, but now, it is starting to feel like home._

* * *

Diana knew before she came here tonight, that she could die. 

She had imagined dozens of different ways she might go, and in all of them, she did it as she had once done most things in her life. On her own. 

_But you will not be alone._ Demetrius had told her once before. _Not entirely. The pieces will fall into place and your burden will be shared._

As Diana brushed her fingers along the slope of Gaius’s cheek, her eyes studying his hazy ones, she realized that Demetrius had just been talking about Rheya. It was Gaius. Of course it was.

But as she looked at him, she realized that he was not the only one to ever keep her company, to stand by her side. No, loneliness may have been her blessing and her curse for these long, long years, but she had never been alone. Her parents, Lily, Adrian, Kamilah, and Jax. They had always been there, even when she didn’t know it. 

As she thought that, Diana swore she felt her father’s arm wrap around her shoulders, Lily’s hand slip into her own. As she closed her eyes and leaned into Gaius’s chest, Diana knew that if it was truly her time to go, at least she would do so surrounded by the ones she loved. 

* * *

**_2042_ **

_Gaius does not know how to be alone._

_As he roams around an unfamiliar countryside, he considers this. All his life, he has always had someone by his side. First his mother, then his fellow soldiers. Rheya and Xeno. Kamilah, Banner, and Marcel. Adrian and the Baron._

_He had selected the members of his inner circle with great care and saw himself in each of them. And perhaps that was why he thought it best to rule over them rather than with them. Yes, he loved his progeny deeply, but because they were like him, he did not trust them. Not fully. Even Kamilah, although she came the closest._

_They were companions in the truest sense. People to keep him company as the decades rolled by. People to fill the space around him, to confirm his existence. People to adore and to be adored by. They were his deepest connections, yet his most surface level. He knew them well, but they only thought that they could say the same._

_What a cruel thing it is to look back and realize that everything he has ever done was nothing more than a hollow impression of real life._

_He knows he deserves to be alone, and he knows that those relationships were built on the vain desire to be surrounded by those who were beautiful or powerful_ — _or beautiful_ and _powerful_ — _but never equal. And yet, still finds himself wishing he could have them all back._

_There have been offers of companionship. Sometimes they are soft whispers in the pubs he slips into that hold sensual promises of a warm bed and even warmer skin. Sometimes, they are expressions of gratitude packaged in offers to accompany him on his journey given by those whose lives he saved. When the Bloodkeeper spared his life two decades ago, she had not set any terms for his freedom. He is not bound to a life of solitude. But still, he turns them all down._

_Gaius is wandering down a farm road, deep in his thoughts when he hears it. A guttural snarl._

_His fingers tighten around the hilt of his gladius as he quiets his breathing, willing his heartbeat to slow, and waits, using his senses to discern what sort of creature he has stumbled upon. He smells… death and decay, like rotting leaves and wet stone, a scent he knows all too well. A Feral._

_The creature has not yet sensed him, otherwise, it would have attacked already. Swift as the northern wind, he follows the sounds of twigs snapping and gravel shifting. Gaius crests a hill and finds a small cluster of houses sheltered by the mountains around them._

_And just outside the edge of the town, he finds his quarry, snarling and dripping saliva. Gaius’s lips pull into a scowl as his eyes land on the object of its attention. A little girl, wide-eyed and pale with fear as she backs away. She does not run. She does not scream. She is terrified._

_In the split second he takes to evaluate the scene before him, Gaius remembers the day he was set on this path of redemption, the day he bound himself to the woman who spared his life with a promise._

_Then, he emerges from the shadows and draws his sword._

_The Feral does not even see him coming. In one fluid motion, he stabs clean through the creature’s back and yanks it up, slicing its body in two. It crumbles to ash, settling like a fine mist on his hands and on the boots of the girl, who has fallen back in shock._

_She stares up at him, eyes wide as saucers, and for a moment, Gaius simply stares back._

Anything else you ask of me, I will do, but the murder of children, of innocents… This, I cannot do. 

_Gaius does not remember much of his mortal life, but he knows a few things. He knows he was a soldier to King Kaelisus. He knows he had loved his wife, Ariadne, in their short time together. And he knows that once, he had wanted to start a family._

_He reaches out a hand and helps the girl to his feet, dusting off her sleeves. Then, he turns, ready to be on his way again now that the threat has been neutralized and the girl is safe._

_“Are you a superhero?”_

_Gaius pauses, body going rigid. When he looks at her over his shoulder, he cannot help but marvel at her awe, her bravery in facing him without fear._ You should be afraid of me, _he thinks._ If you knew what I have done, you would not think so highly of me.

_He has known great pain and even greater sorrow, but it is her wonder that makes him wince. Of that, he is undeserving._

_“No,” he says softly, turning back to the road. “Not in this story.”_

_He makes sure from afar that the girl gets home safely, then continues on his way, mulling that encounter over. Despite himself, he wonders if there is any story in which he saves the day. If there will ever be one._

_Gaius wanders for a few more miles until he comes to a fork in the road. One sign points right to La Salle, the other, Aosta. Which way to go? Do directions even matter to a wanderer such as himself?_

_Gaius turns on his heel, toes pointing to the right and freezes._

_He is not particularly attuned to psychic energy, but the power he feels now is exigent. He cannot ignore it. He senses it, like a wildfire blazing on the horizon. His own blood sings in response. For the first time in years, he truly feels not just alive, but awake._

_He has only felt that sort of power, that greatness, once before. Not in Rheya, but someone else._

_He cannot help himself._

_He runs._

_After sprinting the last few miles to Aosta, he no longer needs to seek out the whispers of her power in the air. He hears yelling nearby, and knows without a doubt, that is where she is. He veers off the country road and into the bordering forest, weaving through the trees for the most direct path to the commotion._

_“Lies,” someone hisses, but he is unable to discern who the voice belongs to. There is a gasp and a grunt of pain that makes him pump his legs harder. He bursts through the treeline, feet swift and silent on the soil as he rushes through the tall grass, barely more than a whisper on the wind._

_“I told you to stop.” That voice, he would know anywhere. He has heard in his dreams countless times. It is that voice that steals his breath from his lungs. It is that voice that reaffirms that the woman before him is real and made of flesh, not just an apparition or a ghost in his nightmares._

_There is so much to take in at once. The blood flowing from the Bloodkeeper’s shoulder, the cloud of ash that settles across the grass, the woman with closely cropped hair, the blade in her hand, and the small boy in her grip._

_But he is a soldier, a warrior, and a weapon. He knows what to do._

_As he drives his blade between the shoulderblades of the unfamiliar woman, Gaius distantly wonders if he has made a habit of attacking from behind. How dull and boring he has become. Fighting used to be_ fun.

 _But he can’t feel too sore about it. The boy is safe, if not a little startled, and the Bloodkeeper_ —Diana— _is staring at him._

_He watches the woman’s ashes scatter, exhaling sharply before he meets her gaze._

_She is not afraid. That is not surprising. Although she is not angry either. The expression on her face is not one of disdain or disgust. Shock and confusion, yes. But the thing that catches him like a blow to the gut is the hope that is carved into her features. He is not sure if it is a trick of the moonlight or his own projection, but she almost looks glad to see him as she whispers, “Gaius.”_

_He realizes that he has not heard his own name in almost two decades. Gaius Augustine_ — _two names that speak of rejoicing and of greatness but have lost their meaning to him long ago._

_And yet, when he hears it fall from her lips, it feels like coming home._

* * *

Gaius funneled his energy into Diana and the Tree, pouring every bit of himself out for the taking until he could not give anymore. Could not give anymore because… because there was nothing that sought to take. 

He opened his eyes. The Tree, it was no longer black nor white, but a marbled grey. The oppressive air of its power was gone and Gaius knew that Demetrius had faded away with it. All around him, he sensed balance, brought to this world at last. 

“We did it,” he rasped, voice tinged with disbelief. “It’s over, _diviana._ We did it.”

The silence that greeted him was horrible and heavy. When he reached for the bond, he only found a void.

 _“Diviana?”_ He leaned back, unpeeling her from where she rested against his chest and shook her shoulders. “Diana.”

Her body swayed limply in his arms. As her skin had once been burning hot with their power, it was now as cold as ice. 

“No,” he breathed, eyes already beginning to blur, as if his body knew what his mind could not comprehend. “Please… no.”

He rarely allowed himself to think of what it would feel like to lose her, but in all of his imaginings, he always expected a pain like no other to split his soul. But instead, there was nothing but a gaping wound, a horrible emptiness that could never be filled. And somehow, that was worse. Perhaps that was because he was on his way out, too.

 _“Longue et sombre est cette nuit sans fin,”_ Serafine murmured softly from afar.

Gaius let out an anguished scream as he bowed over his beloved’s body, tears splashing on her motionless chest. Although she had died human, he could not even Turn her, for his own existence was withering away now that almost all of his life-sustaining power had been drained. But Gaius could not bring himself to care, to see beyond his fury and grief.

Because even after all he had given, Diana was gone.


	34. Chapter 33: Reborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From the ashes.

**_The Void_ **

Time did not exist here. 

_ Diana _ did not exist. Did she?

She was… she was dead. She felt herself dive into the cold depths of nothingness, felt herself become untethered from her body. But death… was not how Rheya had described it. It was not how Diana had experienced it before her Turning had taken root. Then, there had been nothing. But now… 

Diana stood in the sterile waiting room of an unfamiliar hospital. The room was empty. In fact, the entire hospital appeared to be so. There were no patients, no doctors or nurses. There weren’t even any voices. It was silent. 

Diana slowly surveyed the room, pacing along the walls as she scanned the bulletin boards which were covered with all sorts of health posters and announcements. But whenever she tried to read them, the words blurred, as if the papers had been doused in water, leaving only trails of runny ink.

“I have been bound to that Tree for nearly three thousand years,” someone mused aloud and Diana turned. “How strange it is… to finally be free.”

“Demetrius?” Diana breathed. She hardly recognized him. His hair, which had once been as dark as pitch, was now thin and grey. His face was lined with wrinkles, his hands were frail, and his skin was dotted with spots. But his eyes—in his eyes laid the greatest change of all. 

In the handful of times Diana had met her ancestor, so many secrets remained veiled behind those dark irises, which rarely reflected anything more than indifference or perhaps a hint of somberness. But now, they were warm and full of pride and kindness. As she studied him from where he sat in one of the waiting room’s rubbery, cushioned chairs, Diana realized that this was what Demetrius would have looked like if he had been allowed to grow old.

“Hello, Diana,” he said benevolently, his gaze thoughtful as his eyes roamed her face, then the room around them. “Tell me, what do you see here?”

Her brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean? We’re in a hospital waiting room.” She glanced around once more, squinting as if she was missing something. “What do _ you _ see?”

“My home in Mydiea where I was born,” Demetrius said softly, a hint of wonder in his voice. “The stone passageway that led to the front door. The cypress tree my mother used to sit in the shade of as she wove fabrics.” His attention fell to the chair upon which he sat, arthritic fingers gently brushing over the smooth material, although Diana knew it was not a waiting room chair to him. “The bench I used to sit upon with my father as we watched traders and travelers come and go.”

He hummed, a hint of peace and satisfaction in his tone. “Death is the last frontier. The only one I have yet to explore. I must admit, I am glad to finally greet it.”

“So we are dead then,” Diana said numbly, her heart sinking as the realization set in. “Truly. And this… is the Afterlife?”

“We have passed, yes, but we are not quite in the Afterlife just yet,” Demetrius murmured, attentive eyes gazing around. “I believe we are in the Void once again. Waiting.”

“Waiting for what?”

“For our places to be set,” he replied, and Diana fought down the urge to roll her eyes. It appeared that Demetrius had been given back his humanity, but he still insisted on being as vague as possible. “When it is time, we will know.”

Diana pressed her lips into a frown as she sat down across from him, tucking her feet up on the chair and folding her knees to her chest. “Did you know, Demetrius? That I would die tonight?”

When his gaze met hers once more, his eyes were clear and apologetic. “Yes.”

Diana felt something inside of her deflate and she sagged, resting her chin atop her knees. “For how long?”

He offered her a sad smile. “Long before you were born.”

Diana felt as if she had been punched in the chest. “So all of this time… Everything that has ever happened to me… it all was so that this could happen? So I could stop the Tree’s influence from spreading? Bring balance to the world?”

“Whenever I saw visions of you, I always knew you were the one who had the potential to change the world.” Demetrius’s voice was soft, gentle, as if he was speaking to a child. “I knew that you were mankind’s only hope for defeating Rheya, just as I knew that you were our only hope for stopping the Tree. Whether or not you succeeded, I could not know.”

“Why?” Diana questioned hollowly. She did not even have the energy to feel sad or angry or disappointed. No, she was just tired. So, so tired. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”

Demetrius gave her a pitying look. “It is as I told you before. This was a truth you had to come into on your own.”

She let out a heavy exhale. At this point, none of this surprised her. So much of her life had been dictated by some predetermined fate. It was not so shocking to learn that her entire life was already laid out before she could have a say in it. “So this is it then? There was nothing left in the stars for me? Nothing else you foresaw that I am still meant to do? Or can you even tell me that?”

Demetrius shook his head. “Of all of the possible outcomes I saw… Of all the paths I travelled, this was the farthest you ever came in even the best of them.”

“And was this one of them?” Diana asked. “One of the best?”

Demetrius’s smile brightened. His gaze fell to Diana’s left hand, the little piece of string tied around her finger. “I think you already know the answer to that, Diana.”

Diana’s lips parted as she lifted her hand, examining her ring finger. She felt her heart thump painfully against her ribcage at the sight of that red strand of thread.

Across from her, Demetrius slowly got to his feet, moving carefully for the sake of his aching bones, although Diana had a feeling he did not mind the effects of old age. “I believe it is time for me to go,” he said, voice distant but with an undertone of hope and excitement. He craned his neck, as if he heard something she could not.

Diana stood, going to help him. “Go where?”

He waved her off, steadying himself on his own as he replied, “Beyond. It has been a long time since I have seen my darling Iola. I look forward to finding her.”

Diana did not know what he saw or where he thought he was walking, but she followed him out of the waiting room and into an adjacent hallway. “Rheya will be looking for you, too.”

He paused, another somber expression on his face. “There will be some time before that reunion can come to pass.”

As he turned to continue on his way, Diana reached out for him. “Wait!”

Her fingers passed through her ancestor’s arm as if he were nothing more than mist. Demetrius glanced down at the spot where she had tried to make contact, brow lifting as if he found being incorporeal to be curious. “I do not have much time here, Diana.”

She shook her head, at a loss. She had so many questions and still, it seemed that she would never get answers, even in the end. “Then before you go, could you at least tell me one thing?”

Demetrius glanced down the hallway towards whatever was calling to him, then nodded. “One thing.”

“Gaius…” she breathed, running her thumb over the loop of thread. “In all of the paths you foresaw, in how many of them did I find him? In Aosta?”

Of all of the questions she asked him, that was the least pressing and yet somehow the most important to her.

Demetrius’s eyes seemed to sparkle. “Only about half,” he said softly as he began to turn away. “But you two always found each other in the end. In thousands of different ways, in thousands of different places.”

Diana stopped in the hallway, knowing that wherever Demetrius was going, she could no longer follow. Her chest tightened and she could do nothing but stare at her hands and the wedding band that marked a union that had ended too soon. Gaius… her beloved, her soul-bonded, her husband.

They only had hours as husband and wife, but Diana knew that even if they had been allowed to have their eternity, it still would not have been enough time. 

When she blinked away her tears and looked up from her hands, the hallway had shifted slightly. Now, Diana stood before a massive window that overlooked a quiet nursery. Inside, nurses tended to swaddled newborns and pediatricians examined their health. The door to the nursery opened, emitting another nurse with a baby bundled in her arms. There was no marker or unique feature to distinguish this child from the rest, but somehow Diana knew who it was. 

“You were such a well-tempered child,” someone said to Diana’s right. “Always smiling. Always laughing. Even when you were first born, you barely made a peep.”

A sob burst forth from Diana’s lips. “Mom?”

Diana visited her mother often, and although she did often not share the wild, concerning details of her life, she always kept in contact with her mother, even more so than she did with Adrian sometimes. She had never had to miss her mother, but it did something strange to her now, to see such a familiar face in a place where very little was certain and even fewer things made sense. “What are you doing here?”

Diana moved to embrace her, but her mother held up a hand. Before her eyes, the countenance of Diana’s mother shifted, her features morphing into those of someone else. Diana flinched back as Rheya’s dark, depthless eyes stared back at her.

“Apologies,” the creature that wore Rheya’s face replied in the priestess’s low, dulcet voice. “I thought seeing a familiar face might help you adjust.”

“Well, you missed the mark on  _ that  _ one,” Diana replied, a slight edge in her voice that was born out of her discomfort. 

Rheya’s mouth formed an “O” before the creature pursed her lips and nodded. “I see. Poor choice on my part.”

Again, the being transformed before Diana’s eyes, shrinking from Rheya’s height to a more diminutive stature. Diana felt a shock run through her as she stared into the sky blue eyes of a little girl with tan skin and waves of thick shiny hair that was the exact rich shade of chestnuts in the fall. 

“And… now who are you supposed to be?” Diana asked hesitantly. Her fingers itched to reach out and tuck a strand of that dark hair behind the girl’s ear, a gesture that was so instinctual, Diana felt as if she must have known this child all her life. There was something so familiar about her, and yet Diana knew she had never seen her before.

“Someone very important to you,” the girl replied, although this time, her voice was that of many, all of them familiar but none of them discernable. “Or, someone who  _ will  _ become important to you.”

Diana had heard those words before. And that voice… 

“Phampira,” she breathed, and the little girl smiled.

“Hello, little godkiller,” the goddess replied with a saccharine smile as she tilted her head, looking Diana up and down. “You have come a long way.” 

A shiver ran down her spine.  _ Godkiller.  _

She expected a rebuke or perhaps even eternal damnation, but the goddess’s eyes held no malice. “Why am I here?”

“Worry not,” Phampira said, waving her hand dismissively with a sigh. “I have no intention of harming you, child.” Her expression softened. “You were my salvation.”

Diana’s brows furrowed. “I…”

“I have watched over you ever since the day you were born, Diana,” Phampira continued, her voice warm and soothing. Her words wrapped around Diana like a sweet embrace and she almost wanted to cry from the gentleness of it all. The last few hours finally set in and Diana’s knees felt weak from the horror of it all.

“And now you have seen my death,” Diana breathed, sinking against the wall. She held out a hand to brace herself, her palm fitting against the cool glass pane of the observatory window. 

“Yes. So I have,” Phampira said simply, her eyes filled secrets and knowledge Diana could not even hope to understand. “I have seen all of your ancestors die. Your ancestors, who—in some sense—are my descendants.”

Diana straightened, her will suddenly hardening. “You made Rheya,” she stated, the accusation clear in her tone.

Phampira’s cherubic face remained placid, her voice cool. “I did.”

“Do you even know what you have done?” Diana snapped, too blinded by her sudden anger to realize that she was berating a god. “How much pain and suffering was born out of that decision?”

Phampira nodded solemnly and for the first time, something like sorrow flickered across her otherwise placid features. “Yes. Creating the Goddess of Blood was my mistake, a sin I will never forgive myself for. When I had led Rheya to the Tree of Eternal Life, I hoped that she would bring peace to the world of men. That she would root out corruption and correct the mistakes those in charge had made.”

“Yeah?” Diana lifted a brow. “Well, she didn’t.”

“She did,” Phampira insisted, before adding a softly, “For a little while, she did.”

Diana opened her mouth to fire back, but she realized she didn’t have an argument to that. She had seen how the world had once flourished under Rheya’s guidance. She learned of it from visions and accounts from Gaius.

Diana’s body sagged against the wall, the tension leaving her limbs once more.  _ Gaius. _

“You are sad,” the goddess noted, her tone gentle but perplexed. “Why?”

Diana felt her anger flare once more and she glared at the goddess. “Why?” she echoed, her voice bitter. “Because I am dead,  _ goddess.  _ And the man I love—my _h_ _ usband _ …” Her breath caught in her throat. “He is probably dying, too. If he isn’t dead already.” Diana wasn’t sure if her current self was corporeal, but tears still slipped down her cheeks, hot and anguished. “I promised him an eternity,” she whispered brokenly as she gazed down at the piece of stained thread on her ring finger. “We barely had hours.”

Phampira was silent for a moment, and Diana was not sure if it was because the goddess was processing Diana’s emotions or giving her a moment to grieve. Then, she asked, “Would you like to see him?”

Diana stiffened. She lifted her chin, trying to rein in her hope although it spilled into her voice anyway. “I can do that?”

Phampira gave her a secretive smile. “Of course.”

She waved her small hand and the hospital dissolved into mist around them, the bright, sterile colors darkening into hues of greys and blues. When their surroundings finally settled, they were on the island, standing at the edge of the clearing and gazing upon the Tree, which was now grey and harmless. 

Diana loosed a shuddering breath, and a small, whimpering noise came out of her as her gaze fell on Gaius— _ her _ Gaius—crumpled on the tangled roots. His face was wan and tormented, his hair streaked through with silver. In his arms, she saw herself.

Not so long ago, in a journey through time, Diana experienced the odd sensation of seeing herself from another point of view. Then, she had been watching her past self, and that had been jarring enough. But even that could not have properly prepared her to gaze upon her own lifeless body, pale and limply splayed across Gaius’s lap.

Although she had drained her life and power into the Tree, Gaius’s own energy had been enough for Diana to first become mortal once again, and as a result, she died as one. She did not look like she was sleeping, as all the movies claimed. No, there was no doubt about it. She looked dead. 

Her skin was leached of color, and Diana realized with a start that her hair was as well. It was a shock of white, like a slip of moonlight made tangible. The entire scene was oddly beautiful in a morbid sort of way. Cradled in Gaius’s arms at the base of that damned Tree, she looked like one of the ethereal saints who died a tragic death that she had learned about as a child.

As Gaius bowed over her corpse, stricken by grief, Diana studied the stuttering way he rocked, as if every movement ached. Her voice was impossibly soft and dispirited as she whispered, “He’s dying.”

“He lived a long and fulfilling life, did he not?” Phampira questioned.

Diana shook her head sadly. “Not as himself.”

They looked on in silence. Gaius’s pain was nearly tangible in the air. It took everything Diana had not to run to him, to take him into her arms, but she knew she could not. Wherever she was now, she could not reach him.

“I have always marveled at mankind’s capacity to love,” Phampira mused, her gaze thoughtful and almost yearning. “And the intensity with which they do so.”

Diana painstakingly tore her gaze away from Gaius to face the goddess. “Do gods not fall in love?”

Phampira laughed softly but without mirth. Her expression was far too censorious and experienced to fit her youthful face. “With one another? No. Love for us is not binding or all-consuming as it is for you.” The goddess sighed wistfully, her eyes far away. “I think the closest any of us have ever come is the fondness we have for our investments. Our creations.”

“Your creations,” Diana said slowly. “Like Rheya.”

Phampira nodded solemnly. “Yes, like Rheya.”

The goddess waved her hand again, and before Diana could protest, the island fell away. When their surroundings solidified once more, they stood in an ancient Greek temple of mottled white stone. Fires burned in braziers beside altars topped with smoking incense and an array of offerings made by the citizens of Mydiea and any passing travelers. Priestesses milled about the temple, attending to the fires and assisting any visiting supplicants.

Directed by Phampira’s small hand, Diana’s gaze fell upon one lone priestess, who knelt before an altar. Diana watched as the woman set an offering of ripened fruit upon the fire, the scattered a handful of powder that made the flames leap, momentarily burning a bright red.

“An offering to you, my Goddess,” the woman said reverently, bowing her head. “I hope that one day I shall be worthy of your hand, to be blessed by you with a child of my own.”

Diana’s lips parted. “That’s Rheya.”

“I watched over my priestesses,” Phampira admitted, giving Diana a conspirator’s smile. “But Rheya Apostolous was among my favorites. So devoted, so full of that fiery passion and unyielding love. She embodied everything I stood for and admired. Her only personal wish was to bring life into the world.”

Phampira sighed, her expression growing somber. “When that beastly king Kaelisus threw himself at her and then exiled for daring to refuse him in order to stay faithful to her betrothed, I truly despaired. I imagine that the anger and distress I felt was like that of a mother for their only child.” Phampira’s lips pulled into a sincere frown. “When I saw her enter those caves, I could not bear the idea of her wandering along until she met a horrific death.”

“So you made her the First Vampire,” Diana concluded, thinking of the memory Phampira had shown her back in Adrian’s office earlier that night. 

“More than that.” Phampira shook her head. “I made her the Goddess of Blood. Truly.”

Diana blinked, brows furrowing. “I don’t understand. I thought you just gave her some power when you allowed her to drink your blood?”

“Even the gods have limits to their abilities, Diana,” Phampira replied, gazing around the temple, a new sort of sadness filling her blue eyes. “When I created the Tree of Eternal Life for Rheya, I gave up part of myself—my affinity over blood magic.”

“So Rheya truly was a goddess then,” Diana breathed in disbelief, shaking her head.

_ You are nothing more than a scorned priestess who thought she could play god. _

_ You think this is playing god? _

“A goddess among men, yes,” Phampira amended with a subtle nod. “I am among the oldest of gods, and one of the strongest. The blessing I bestowed upon Rheya was enough to make her more powerful than some of the lesser gods.”

Diana pursed her lips, her eyes straying to the stone floor of the temple as she mulled all of this new information over. “Why are you telling me this? Why am I here? This… this isn’t the Afterlife, is it?”

Phampira smiled benignly and shook her head. “No, Diana. It is not yet your time to greet the Afterlife. But it is mine.”

Phampira flicked her fingers and the priestesses disappeared along with the offerings in the altars and the fires in the braziers. The entire temple transformed, a semicircle of thrones emerging from the marble floors as the room filled with a warm, golden light that seemed to shimmer around them. Diana could not even begin to comprehend the beings that suddenly gazed down upon her from their seats of power, some with benevolence, some with indifference, and some with a detached sort of curiosity. 

There was the one with many faces—Maiden, Mother, and Crone—who seemed to exude an aura of magic. The Three-Faced Goddess’ lip curled with distaste, but her eyes seemed to glitter with understanding as she studied Diana with extreme attentiveness. “The godkiller.”

“She is rather small,” assessed the one with a voice that sounded like wind whispering through an empty tomb. Their face was hidden behind a gauzy veil of shadow, but Diana knew their gaze scrutinized her from head to toe. “I could deal with her instead.”

“You could try, Hellas,” said the one with a voice like howling beasts and other snarling creatures. The goddess smiled, revealing a mouth full of vicious teeth. “Small she may be, but the wildest things often are.”

From the shadows of the goddess’s throne emerged a creature Diana knew well. Diana’s lips parted as the luminous, silvery eyes of the Black Shuck’s met hers, then padded over to settle by the feet of another god. Although there was nothing extraordinary about this one’s appearance, Diana heard his voice inside her head, warm and familiar.  _ Where? _

Mercury.

“This is who you have chosen, Phampira?” questioned the one with a voice as soft as silk. Their skin blazed with the might of a thousand suns, but their hair was as dark as pitch. A melding of celestial bodies, the moon and the sun in one. As Diana focused, she could have sworn she saw stars sparkling in their lustrous locks. “Your successor?”

Diana’s jaw felt loose as she faced the goddess beside her. “Successor?”

“Many of us gods have personal engagements in the other worlds,” Phampira revealed, leaving Diana’s side to stride for a marble throne that materialized atop a set of stone steps. “I only ever wanted to see the world of men thrive. And now that the road to a better world has been paved and the foundation built, my time has come. I wish to preside over this domain no longer.”

“It is true, Diana,” the goddess continued. “Tonight, you died on that island, and the bloodline of Rheya Apostolous, the Goddess of Blood, went with you. But this is not your end.” Phampira ascended the steps and paused beside the throne. She turned and held out her hand, gesturing for Diana to join her. “This is just your beginning.”

Diana’s lips parted in bewilderment, be she moved forward nonetheless. She crossed the temple and joined Phampira on top of the platform, hesitantly taking the goddess’s small hand within her own.

“It has been almost three thousand years since I granted half of my life to Rheya Apostolous with the dream that she would save mankind from ruin,” Phampira began, her voice echoing throughout the chamber. She gestured for Diana to kneel to her height, and so she did, the cold stone kissing her knees. “That dream went unrealized for millennia, trampled beneath the feet of my own descendants and men alike. That dream went unrealized until  _ you  _ came along.”

With her other hand, Phampira touched her own chest, drawing out an eternal flame, the very essence of her life. Of all life. The goddess released Diana’s hand and reached out, her fingers brushing against Diana’s cheek in a feather-light caress. 

“I had many hopes when I created Rheya. One of them being that she would take my place on the Council of the eldest gods, who you see gathered here today,” Phampira said, her voice tinged with sadness that quickly melted away like dew in the morning light. Her tone brightened, full of pride and hope as she gazed upon Diana. “But you… you are what I always hoped she would be. You restored balance. You created a world where your kind no longer has to live in the shadows, and you did that without supernatural grace or powers.” 

She let her hand fall away from Diana’s cheek and raised her other palm. “Do you accept my offering? Will you take my place and become a god?”

Diana’s head was spinning. She did not know what to make of this, could hardly even believe that it was real. Her, a god… Diana pursed her lips. Was this yet another title forced upon her? Another task laid out before her by fate?

But as she studied Phampira’s face, the raw power swirling in her palm, Diana knew that was not the case. The goddess was giving her a choice. And for the first time, it was Diana’s decision and her decision alone. She knew that if she refused, the Phampira would not force it upon her.

“If I say no,” Diana began, worrying her lip between her teeth as her gaze fell to the floor. “That would be it? I would… be dead?”

Phampira nodded, her gaze flicking towards the one they had called Hellas. “If that is what you wish, then Hellas will guide you safely on.”

“And if I accept?” She asked after studying the dark god for a few moments. She searched Phampira’s face, then looked to the throne that stood beside them. “Will I be tethered to this throne?”

“Earth is your home,” Phampira replied, her voice gently. “If you accept, you would be a full-fledged god—more than what Rheya had been—but you may come and go as you please, just as I was able to do with my own realm.”

“And Gaius,” Diana started, but her voice broke on his name. “My husband. Will I be able to save him?”

“You can transfer energy into other living beings,” the goddess said slowly, gravely, as if she were laying out the terms for a contract. “But to return someone from the brink of death… You would have to bind their life to yours. They would share in your immorality, but if something were to ever happen to you…”

She trailed off, letting Diana put the pieces together. “They would die.” Her brow creased. “But gods are hard to kill, aren’t they?”

“Hard to kill, but not impossible,” Phampira corrected, nodding. “You are proof of that.”

_ Right, Rheya.  _ Diana pursed her lips. Her brow creased as she mulled the offer over. The bond between her and Gaius had terrified her in some ways. It was so exposing, so vulnerable. To have his entire life depend on her? …Perhaps it was better if they both moved on to the Afterlife. But who could even guarantee that they would end up in the same place? Who got to judge their souls?

And truthfully, Diana was not yet ready to move on. There were those she loved on the other side, but there were just as many she would be leaving behind without so much as a goodbye. 

Her thumb brushed over the loop of red thread. If Gaius’s life was linked to hers… would things really change? 

_ Did you truly think I would choose to live without you? _

He would not. And neither would she. Wherever she went, he would follow, whether or not they were bound. 

Diana met Phampira’s eyes and nodded.

The golden fire burned pleasantly as Phampira pressed her palm to Diana’s chest. Diana gasped, her back arching as the flames disappeared beneath her skin, molten fire coursing through her veins. She felt her nerves come alive, her senses sharpen. Her skin tingled with the newfound power that rested at her fingertips, stronger and more plentiful than ever before.

“My time has come to an end. You are my legacy—my Last Descendant,” Phampira declared, her voice filled with all of the pride and grandeur of someone who knew their end was near and intended to go out with all the fanfare deserved. She guided Diana to her feet with hands that were as strong as they were small. “Rise, Diana Leigh. Blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh, and walk the Earth once more. Not as the Goddess of Blood, but the Goddess of Life.”

Diana’s skin began to glow golden, the light growing with each passing second. She was like a star illuminating the night sky, radiant and shining with an intensity that could not be rivaled. She squeezed her eyes shut against the searing glare as a cool, benevolent wind stirred around her. Diana felt the absence of warmth as Phampira’s hand fell away from her chest and the ancient goddess became no more.

* * *

Somewhere, on a small island in the South Pacific, the new Goddess of Life took her first breaths. 


	35. Chapter 34: The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every end leads to a new beginning.

**_The Island, 2044_ **

Eventually, the light faded away and Diana opened her eyes.

Her heart stuttered in her chest. Her heart, which was beating anew. She reached up, fitting her warm palm against the cheek of the man she loved so dearly, and used her thumb to wipe away his tears.

Gaius’s eyes fluttered open. He sucked in a ragged breath. “Diana.”

She smiled brilliantly. “Hello, my love.”

He clutched her to his chest, body shaking in disbelief and with insurmountable joy. As he held her, Diana felt his dwindling life force. His presence was but a distant echo in Diana’s surroundings. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him just as tightly.

“I promised you an eternity and then some,” she whispered into his ear, just as she began to fulfill her first task as the newly crowned Goddess of Life. Diana pictured a sparkling ember of her essence, a little bit of starlight, and felt it materialize in her palm as she pressed it into his spine, permanently linking his life to hers. 

_What’s mine is yours,_ she thought through their bond, which was once again intact, echoing his words from earlier.

She felt Gaius’s breath ghost over her neck as her life surged through his body. It was revitalizing, healing, immortalizing. The shaking in his limbs stilled as his bones strengthened once more. The silver streaks in his hair darkened to a rich shade of brown that reminded Diana of autumn, smoke, and campfires. His chest swelled against hers as he drew in a sharp breath, broad and full. She felt his heart beat soundly beneath her palm as she drew back to gaze upon his countenance.

The face that looked back at her was handsome. Youthful.

Happy. 

Gaius’s fingertips fluttered across her cheeks as her own brushed along his jaw. “Is this real?”

Diana grinned, her tears spilling out of the corners of her eyes as she kissed his wandering fingertips. “Yes.”

Without a moment of hesitation, Gaius leaned in, sealing his lips over hers in an unbreakable kiss. Diana felt like she was soaring as she looped her arms around his neck, holding him tight. She wanted him closer and closer still, just to affirm that he was really here, that he was safe and in her arms. She wanted to bury him beneath her skin, to build him a home inside her bones. Diana did not know it was possible to feel so alive—this felt like the first signs of spring, the sparkling bubbles in a flute of champagne, and several sunlit days, all wrapped into one. 

When he drew back, he curled a lock of her snow-white hair around his finger and let it fall like a ribbon of silk. “Your hair…”

Diana huffed a laugh, sifting her own fingers through his dark curls. She could not believe this. He was alive—they both were—and she was touching him and he was real and whole. Their reality was so absurd, they couldn’t even begin to process anything beyond the smallest of details. “I’ll have to dye it.”

“I like it,” Gaius murmured, but his eyes were locked with her own as he echoed a conversation that had occurred not so long ago, although it might as well have happened in another lifetime. Diana supposed it did. “But I also liked the way it was before.”

She rolled her eyes, cupping the back of his neck. “You would like in any shade.”

“You aren’t wrong,” he admitted, his gaze roaming across her face, taking in every detail as if he was committing it to memory.

“How do you feel?” Diana asked, resting the back of her hand against his forehead, then his cheek. She reveled silently in the warmth that greeted her, a marker of his health and wonderful youth.

“Brand new,” Gaius huffed, amazed. His fingers trailed down her neck, brushing along her collarbone and then settling over her heart. “How?” he asked softly, voice still full of disbelief. “How is this possible?”

Diana leaned back just enough to hold her cupped hand between them. A seed of light bloomed in her hand, illuminating their faces. “Phampira was the patron of two things: blood and life. One gift she gave to Rheya, the other to me.”

“Rheya, the Goddess of Blood,” Gaius breathed, his eyes widening. “And you…”

“The Goddess of Life,” Diana finished, shaking her head as she closed her fingers over her palm, extinguishing the kernel of light. “Phampira, she passed the mantle on to me. She said that she was ready to move on now that mankind was working towards harmony. I… I’ve taken her place.”

Gaius’s brow knitted. “Will you have to go…?” He trailed off, unsure how to even finish the sentence.

Diana smiled softly, using her thumb to smooth out the crease in his forehead. “No. I am free to go where I please. I’m all yours, for as long as you’ll have me.”

“I think it makes perfect sense, now,” he said softly, stroking his knuckles down the back of her cheek. “It explains why you could never take up Rheya’s legacy. You were meant to create your own.”

Diana nodded slowly. She knew her ascension and new status was different from Rheya’s. For one, there would be no Turnings. At least not in the way Rheya and her progeny did. It was not Diana’s blood that gifted everlasting life. She could use her power to bring energy to other living entities, but granting eternal life required her to share some of her own life force, to tether their life to hers, as she had just done with Gaius. 

For another, gone was the unquenchable thirst for blood, the fangs, the sensitivity to the sun. She and Gaius were no longer vampires. They were pure immortals. 

“ _Par les dieux_ ,” someone exhaled from behind them, soil and decaying leaves shifting underfoot. Diana and Gaius turned to see Serafine staring wide-eyed at them, her mouth agape. She shook her head as if dispelling the initial shock that had rendered her speechless for so long. “Blessed by Phampira herself.”

Before either could react, Serafine dropped to a knee, her shoulders trembling ever so slightly. Diana could sense her awe, her fear, her bewilderment. Something inside of her protested at the mere sight of Serafine kneeling before them.

Diana untangled herself from Gaius and got to her feet, reaching back to help him up before she strode to meet the other woman. She swallowed past the dryness in her throat. Diana was now far more powerful than she had ever been before and was perhaps the most powerful being to walk the earth. She knew that a certain sort of reverence and respect came with that title but blind obedience left a bitter taste on the back of her tongue. “Stand, Serafine. Do not kneel to me when I haven’t yet earned it.”

Serafine looked up, uncertain. “Diana…?”

“Please,” Diana insisted, holding out both of her hands. “You and I have both seen what happens when power goes unchecked. If you devote yourself to me without cause, there will be fewer roadblocks that prevent me from going down the same path Rheya took.” She thought of Phampira’s interest in the human world and her envy of their emotions, then Rheya’s thirst for vengeance. Diana added, “Even the most powerful of gods can still have human ambitions.”

“If you want to help serve me, you can do so by keeping me in check. Counseling me.” When Serafine placed her hands in Diana’s, Diana squeezed them gently and guided her to her feet. “You said it yourself that Rheya needed someone who knew the history of vampires and could help her avoid making the same mistakes she did before. I may not be a vampire anymore, but it is still my past—a past that you and I know better than anyone else. I want to continue to build a better world. Don’t follow me, Serafine. _Help_ me.”

“A better world…” Serafine looked stunned, clearly moved by Diana’s request. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, then nodded firmly. “I would love nothing more than to help you in any way that I can, Diana Leigh.”

Not “My Goddess.” Diana. 

_You are a very wise goddess_ , Gaius teased through the bond and Diana smiled slightly. _And a rather eloquent one at that, too._

She released Serafine’s hands to lace her fingers through Gaius’s, holding on tight. _In between you and your honeyed words, I suppose I picked up a few things._

Gaius squeezed her hand as he studied the clearing they stood in. “Now what? Do we go home?”

Diana followed his gaze, a small frown tugging at the edges of her lips. “Not quite yet. There’s something I want to do first.”

Diana released his hand and crouched, pressing her hands into the loamy soil, which was still stained with black blood and ash. She almost cringed back at the wave of sensation that rolled over her. So much death, pain, and suffering had happened on this island. She sought to wipe it away.

Closing her eyes, Diana drew upon her power, which came more easily than ever before. Unlike the power she had drained from Rheya, Diana’s was distinctly her own. It was not like a caged animal, or a roiling storm. It was nebulous and docile, in tune with her emotions rather than operating on a mind of its own.

She channeled that energy into the forest floor, letting it radiate outwards and seep into the twisting trees and drooping shrubs that covered the island. She heard a sharp intake of breath nearby as she focused on revitalizing a place that had only ever been ruled by death.

When she opened her eyes, the island was teeming with life. Soft grass had sprung up where there had previously only been acrid soil and tropical flowers bloomed sporadically. The canopy of the trees had thickened with lush leaves and vines. There were still remnants of the Tree of Eternal Death’s influence—dead plants and trees Diana could not restore back to life, for even her power had its limits. 

As for the Tree itself, Diana left that untouched. It no longer radiated with supernatural energy, good or bad, but Diana decided to leave it as a permanent reminder of what could happen when the scales tipped too far in any one direction. It was as much of a reminder for the world as it was to herself so that she would not abuse her new gifts.

“Incredible,” Gaius breathed as Diana stood. She swayed slightly on her feet, a little winded from how much energy it had taken to help the island flourish only a short time after tethering Gaius’s life to hers. Immediately, he was by her side, looping his arm around her waist to keep her upright until her short bout of dizziness had passed.

“Now,” she said, sinking into his embrace, not because she needed his support but simply because she wanted to be near him. “We can go home.”

Diana lifted her arm, beckoning Serafine to come close as she pulled the Mercurian Compass out from beneath her suit once more. This time, the amulet did not require her blood to be activated. This time, when the amulet flared to life, Diana felt as if she were being greeted by an old friend—a fellow god. And this time, there were no voices that asked her where to go. Instead, she only sensed a wordless assent and a glimmer of gratitude before they were all swept away.

* * *

**_New York, New York, 2044_ **

When they landed in Adrian’s office, the Compass gave one last flare, as if in farewell, then went dormant. Diana gazed at the pale stone at the center, which was dull and more greyish now than green. When she sought out its familiar signature, she found nothing. The Mercurian Compass was now barely more than a useless accessory, a trinket that Diana would later gaze upon decades from now, when the events of the last few years were nothing more than a cluster of distant memories. 

Diana said a silent thank you to the god of travelers and boundaries, although she was certain she had not seen the last of him. She glanced at Gaius out of the corner of her eye and suppressed a grin as she imagined his expression when she could finally tell him that she had met six of the eldest gods. He had been the one to tell her about them, after all.

He raised a brow, wondering through the bond, _What is_ that _look for?_

“What the _hell_ happened to your hair?”

Diana tore her gaze away from him, her attention falling upon Jax, Kamilah, and Adrian, who all stared back at her with a mix of relief, confusion, and hope. Diana briefly squeezed Gaius’s hand before stepping forward, leaving him and Serafine at her back. “It’s a long story,” she began. “But for starters, we did it. The Tree of Eternal Death is no longer a threat.”

Adrian’s eyes shifted from her to Gaius and Serafine. “And Rheya?”

The corners of Diana’s mouth tightened ever so slightly. “Gone. But she came through.”

Diana caught Kamilah’s look of appraisal, the way her lips pursed and brows drew together as if she were working out a riddle. “You are… different.”

Diana knew she wasn’t just talking about her hair. She glanced back at Serafine and Gaius, the latter of which sent a wave of encouragement her way. She swallowed past the dryness in her throat and held her hands out before her, palms cupped together. A ball of pure energy materialized there and Diana cradled it carefully as she strode for a sad-looking potted fern that sat in the corner of the room. She held the energy up to its brittle stalks and watched as it seeped through the spores. The browned leaves fell away, but new lush ones grew in their place as the fern straightened, revitalized. 

“That’s… new,” Jax noted bluntly. There was an air of stillness as everyone held their breath, collectively waiting for the fern to shrivel and die like the flower in the opera house, but it did not.

“How?” Adrian exhaled, eyes wide as he glanced from the plant, then to Diana and the light fading in her hands.

“I met the gods,” Diana said by way of explanation as she sunk into a cushioned chair, thoroughly worn out—not from her expenditure of power, but from everything that had happened in the last few hours. “And I became one. I took Phampira’s place. She gave me—well, everything she had.”

Jax straightened, noting Diana’s exhaustion. “You need to feed. All of you. I’ll—”

“Actually,” Gaius cut in, resting his elbow against the back of Diana’s chair. “Diana and I don’t anymore. We…” He trailed off, shooting Diana a look that clearly said he had no idea what to say. “Perhaps you ought to explain it better.”

She sighed, rubbing her temples. “I don’t even know how to do that.”

Adrian glanced between them, then pulled out a small comm device, calling for some water, food, and blood for Serafine. When he finished, he tucked the device back into the inner pocket of his suit and settled in his chair, lacing his fingers together atop his desk. “Perhaps the beginning is a good place to start.”

Diana nodded, gazing down at her hands in her lap. She took a deep breath, feeling Gaius’s hand settle atop her shoulder, then began.

* * *

“It seems like just yesterday I was saving your ass from the Baron’s dungeon,” Jax huffed after Diana finished her account of their time on the island, how they stopped the Tree, and her encounter with Demetrius and the gods. His voice was laced through with awe and amusement. “Now you’re a goddess. And not just a minor one, but a major player.” He let out a low whistle, crossing his arms as he leaned back in the leather settee he occupied. “ _Weird._ ”

“Trust me, I know how it sounds,” Diana tucked her hair behind her ear as she gazed down at her half-empty cup of water, still wrestling with the absurdity of it all. “If I hadn’t been there—if I wasn’t sitting here, now, I wouldn’t believe it either.”

“Oh, I believe it,” Jax amended, scratching his chin. “I stopped doubting the impossible the moment that guy—” He motioned to Gaius. “—joined our side.”

“Excuse me—”

“And then you upped the ante and resurrected a crazy priestess, so.” Jax shrugged, surprisingly unflustered. “This really isn’t that bizarre.”

“It’s still pretty bizarre,” Kamilah murmured, her gaze thoughtful as she studied Gaius and Diana. “So you two are no longer vampires?”

Diana shook her head. “No more blood and fangs.”

“What about his… you know.” Jax held up his hand, wiggling his fingers as he jutted his chin towards Gaius, whose brows drew together.

He gazed down at his palm and pursed his lips. “I haven’t tried it yet, but…”

Fire bloomed in hand, crackling tendrils curling around his fingers. Now, his fire was no longer cobalt blue, but an enchanting, pearlescent white. The delicate curves of Gaius’s face were accentuated in the ethereal light of his heavenly fire. Diana could not help but gape at it—at _him_ —utterly transfixed.

 _You’re staring,_ he noted, meeting her gaze.

 _And so what if I am?_ she retorted, earning a small smirk from him.

“Well, then.” Gaius cleared his throat, curling his fingers into his palm and extinguishing the flame. “That settles that question.”

Adrian hummed thoughtfully, his dark gaze sliding to Diana’s. She saw the concern etched into his features. “And you… you’re you?”

Diana knew that they were both thinking of the night in the opera house when Adrian had been the only thing standing between her and an insatiable hunger for power and revenge. But that was no longer the case. She glanced first to Gaius, then to Serafine and the rest of her friends. There were too many good people by her side to keep her grounded. She was in control, unequivocally bound to this world and its inhabitants.

“Yes,” she answered confidently, leaving no room for uncertainty.

A short silence settled in the wake of her words as everyone sat there, gradually coming to terms with the new reality they lived in. 

“So it is done then,” Kamilah stated, her tone reflective. “After all of these years, the last of Rheya’s blight is banished.”

“It appears to be so,” Gaius replied, and for the first time in a long while, Diana noted that he sounded almost peaceful. Relaxed. It made her heart warm with tender affection.

“Well,” Adrian cleared his throat, an easy smile crossing his face as he pulled a bottle of dark liquor from one of the cabinets behind his desk. “I suppose celebrations are in order, then.”

Diana couldn’t help but chuckle as he set out a few glasses. It was just like the old days, when they drank to small victories like their triumph over Vega and the Red Saint. They had come so far since then. As Diana looked around the room, she felt a sudden heaviness in her heart. She wished Lily could be there to see it. To see it and know that everything turned out alright. 

_She knows,_ Gaius assured her, setting a glass of bourbon in her hands. _Wherever she is, she knows. And she is proud of you._

Diana smiled up at him, her fingers curling around the back of his neck and urging him to duck down so she could kiss his cheek. _Thank you._

As Diana sipped her drink, letting the fiery liquor warm her insides, her gaze fell on Serafine, who stood alone by the window, her face pensive. Diana squeezed Gaius’s hand, then stood, retrieving the unclaimed glass of liquor that was meant for Serafine from Adrian’s desk.

“So, what’s next for you?” Diana asked, holding out the glass like a peace offering. “Will you take to the high seas? Become a pirate once more? Topple a kingdom from the inside? Adrian once said that you are perhaps the most interesting vampire to ever live. I think I would like to witness one of these legends for myself.”

Serafine chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Haven’t you had enough adventure to last a lifetime, _ma chérie?”_

She certainly had. If Diana never had to fight in a single battle for the rest of her life, she would not complain one bit. “You have a point. Honestly, I think I could probably sleep for a thousand years right now.” She sighed, gazing out the window. The sun was beginning to rise, the sky lightening into a soft shade of periwinkle and lilac. 

“I never thanked you,” Serafine said at last, her dark eyes growing serious once more. “For trusting me and for letting me help. And Rheya… I never thought I would see her again.”

“Do you resent me?” Diana asked, fingers subconsciously tightening around her glass. “For what happened to her?”

“No.” Serafine’s eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. “No, of course not. I… It was her choice in the end. To die for the man she loved and her people. And I respect that. You…” She looked into Diana’s eyes, gaze searching. “We all did what we had to do. And I am grateful that you gave me the chance to witness the end. While Rheya was staying with me… I realized how blind I was to her actions and intentions. All of this… It has opened my eyes to a great deal of issues. And many wrongdoings, on my part.”

She reached out, gently squeezing Diana’s shoulder. “I am truly sorry, Diana. For hunting you. Fighting you.” She pursed her lips, regretful. “For all of the trouble I have caused you.” She glanced at Gaius across the room. “And your beloved.” Her lip quirked. “I imagine that is quite a fascinating story, _non?_ How the two of you came to be?”

Diana followed Serafine’s gaze, settling on the sight of Gaius conversing with Kamilah and Jax. The conversation did not appear to be particularly riveting, but it was not hostile or burdened with dread either. She supposed that was something.

“A fascinating story,” Diana agreed, turning back to Serafine with a tired smile. “And a long one.”

“The best tales usually are,” Serafine replied with a knowing gleam in her eyes. “Perhaps next time, we meet, I shall tell you about my life as a pirate and you can tell me about your romance with _Le Démon_.”

Diana smirked. “Deal.”

Serafine’s expression softened and she reached for Diana’s hand, brushing her thumb lightly over her knuckles. “I am sincerely sorry about everything, Diana. Could you ever forgive me?”

Diana’s lips parted at the plea in Serafine’s voice. Then she shook her head. “I never blamed you, Serafine. Rheya deceived all of us. Some more than others.” She tightened her fingers around the other woman’s. “I know that look. I have seen it almost every day on Gaius’s face. You want to know how much of what you have done is your fault or Rheya’s. But I can’t give you the answers you need. My forgiveness won’t help you move on. Whatever you are looking for, you have to find it on your own.”

Serafine took a deep breath, her gaze straying to the window. “You know, Diana,” she sighed, glancing at her out of the corner of her eye. “Despite being the youngest of us, you certainly are one of the wisest.”

Diana gave a wry laugh. “That’s what I get for running with the oldest vampires in town.” She studied Serafine’s expression over the rim of her glass as she took another sip. “What will you do now? Return to Paris?”

Serafine sighed wistfully, then nodded. “ _Oui._ That seems like the best course of action for now. I must gather the Daughters. Tell them of what transpired tonight.” She smiled dryly. “Worry not, Diana. I promise I will not erect a temple in your honor. If they choose to follow you, they can meet you for themselves, first.”

Diana huffed, leaning against the wall. “Glad to hear it.”

“But when that is done,” she continued. “I look forward to helping you build a better world.”

Diana smiled softly, taking that as her cue to move on. She pushed away from Serafine and nodded, lifting her glass. “A better world.”

Diana wandered up to Adrian next, who idly twirled a monogrammed pen between his fingers as he sipped from his drink, his mind clearly far away. 

“Hey there, Mr. Bigshot,” she greeted, perching on the edge of his desk, just like she used to whenever she came to visit him on their lunch breaks. “Penny for your thoughts?”

He looked up, expression brightening some. “Diana. How are you feeling?”

She shrugged, leaning back on her hand and crossing one leg over the other. “Not bad. A little tired. But all things considered, I feel pretty good.”

“Mm, it’s not every day that one comes back from the dead and becomes a god,” Adrian agreed, the corner of his lip quirking. He spun the pen around once more before placing it on his desk and leaning back in his cushioned seat. “I’m glad you all returned safely. Or as safe as can be.”

“Yeah. So am I.” Diana ran her fingers through her pale hair, draining the rest of her glass. She grimaced as the liquid lit a fire in her belly and wiped the back of her mouth. “What are you thinking about?”

“While you were gone,” Adrian began slowly, picking his words carefully. “I did a lot of thinking about what you said earlier.”

Diana tilted her head, brow furrowing. “What exactly did I say earlier?”

“Something along the lines that just because I’m not with you, that doesn’t mean you are alone.” He shrugged, swirling his glass around as he gazed into its depths. “And that I can’t keep making myself responsible for everyone else’s life.”

Diana winced. “About that… I was a little harsh.”

“Perhaps,” Adrian conceded, lips pressing into a line. “But you were also right. I have a bit of a habit of taking other people’s burdens on as my own, even when it is none of my business.”

“You have a good soul, Adrian,” Diana said softly, reaching over to pat his knee. “You want to help people. You can’t change that about yourself.”

He gave her a tight-lipped smile as if to say, _Trust me, I know. I have tried._ “Be that as it may, I think it is time for me to take a step back, at least for a little while.”

Diana studied him, lifting a brow. “What are you saying?”

“Well, Kamilah keeps telling me how much joy she finds in gardening away from the public eye,” Adrian explained, glancing at his closest friend. “I don’t think I have a green thumb, but I would like to take some time off from the company. Find a hobby. Maybe travel a bit. It’s been a while since I have gotten the chance to do that for reasons aside from work and diplomacy.” He tilted his head towards hers, a smile playing on his lips. “You’ve become quite the traveler. Any recommendations?”

Diana scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I’ll forward you a list of my top ten favorite travel destinations once I start my blog.” She let out a long breath, her expression softening. “But seriously, Adrian. I’m glad to hear you’re taking a break. You deserve one. You deserve to be happy.”

“I think we all do,” he replied and Diana noticed as his eyes fell to the loop of thread on her ring finger. “Speaking of happiness… When did that happen?”

Diana felt a blush that had nothing to do with the alcohol creep up her neck, stealing across her cheeks. She smiled sheepishly. “Earlier tonight, before we went to the island. Kamilah married us with the old customs. It was kind of a last-minute thing.”

Just saying it aloud made her feel ridiculously giddy, her heart skipping several beats. Distantly, Diana wondered if these feelings, this youthful feeling of being madly in love would ever fade. She doubted it.

Through all of this, Gaius was her rock, her constant. She had gone through so much change, had become so many different things. The Goddess of Life, the godkiller, the Bloodkeeper, the Last Descendant, and on top of all of that, she was just Diana Leigh. She was so many people, all of them in love. 

“Eloping in the middle of the night on a whim?” Adrian grinned, raising his brows as he glanced at Gaius. “How… on-brand for him.”

Diana laughed, fingers tangling in the ends of her hair as she studied her husband’s profile, noting the easy way with which he held himself now. As if he could finally breathe. “It’s not something I thought I would ever do, but when he asked, it just seemed…”

“Right?”

Diana turned back to Adrian and nodded. “Yeah. Exactly.”

His grin softened and he reached forward to lay his hand atop hers. “I’m happy for you, Diana. Truly.”

Diana willed the burning behind her eyes to go away as she smiled back. “Thank you.”

“A toast, then,” Adrian said, lifting his half-empty glass. “To the happy couple.”

Upon seeing Diana’s empty glass in her lap, he held up the bottle. She was about to let him fill it when a sudden yawn came over her. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand and shook her head, setting the glass aside. “That’s alright.”

Adrian nodded and finished off the rest of his drink, wrinkling his nose as it scorched going down. Diana rubbed at her eyes and glanced out the window. The sun was low on the horizon now, the first rays of dawn stretching across the city. She stretched, her joints popping in relief. “I think its time for me to call it a night.”

As she spoke, she met Gaius’s gaze across the room, silently communicating through the bond. He said something Diana couldn’t hear to Jax and Kamilah and stood, briefly clasping Jax’s shoulder and nodding to Kamilah.

“It’s been a long evening,” Adrian agreed, reaching for his comm device once more. “I’ll have a room arranged for the two of you, then.”

“No need, Adrian,” Gaius interjected, grabbing his and Diana’s coats from the back of the chair they had left them on and setting his empty glass atop the desk. As Diana pulled on her coat, she watched as Gaius glanced towards the window, wonder softening his features. “It looks like a beautiful morning. I think I would like to see what it feels like… to feel the sun on my skin once more.”

Diana realized then that she was not the only one who had been reborn on that island. She slipped her hand into Gaius’s, pressing herself into his side as Adrian replied, “Of course. Travel safe, you two.”

Diana quickly bid goodbye to the others—tightly embracing Kamilah and Jax, who had decided to linger a little longer—before slipping out of Adrian’s office and into the elevator with Gaius. He draped his arm over her shoulders, ducking to press a kiss to her temple.

“How are you feeling?” he asked gently, his fingers stroking through her hair.

Diana turned, wrapping her arms around his waist and tucking her head beneath his chin. When she replied, her answer was genuine. “Happy.”

He grinned. “Me too.”

Diana gazed up at him, letting her fingers tenderly brush along his jaw. His skin was warm, slightly flushed from the bourbon, and he looked so at ease, it made her breath catch in her throat. Gaius leaned in, but she drew back, another thought suddenly crossing her mind. “Gaius, there’s one more thing.”

He straightened, tilting his head to the side. “What is it?”

“When I brought you back from the brink,” she said slowly, untangling herself from his embrace. “I didn’t just transfer energy like I could with the fern. I… I tied your life to mine. So you’ll live as long as I do, but if anything happens to me… If I die, so will you.”

As Diana spoke, she studied Gaius’s face, gauging his reaction, but there was none.

She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even ask if this was what you wanted before I did it, but I couldn’t just let you—”

Gaius held up his hand, cutting her off before she could start rambling. “Hold on. Did you expect me to be _upset_ with you for saving my life?”

Diana’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment. “No. Well, maybe. I just… want to make sure that this is something you still want. And if it ever becomes something you don’t… you aren’t obligated to—just because I—”

“‘Something I still want,’” he echoed, raising a brow. He looked… amused. “And what might that something be, _diviana?_ Happiness? Love? _You?”_ He wrapped his arm around her, palm sliding from her shoulder blades, down the curve of her spine, and settling against the small of her back. “If you are asking me if I still want those things, the answer is yes. As it will always be.”

Gaius drew her in, kissing her long and deep, his fingers curling against her coat and tangling in her pale hair. She felt his lips curve against hers in a barely restrained smile as she leaned up on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck. They only parted when the elevator doors slid open with a _ding!_ Sighing, Gaius drew back, although the look in his eyes promised that there would be more moments like that to come now that they had all the time in the world.

They strode through the lobby, eager to return home, but when they reached the glass double doors that separated them from the world beyond, Gaius hesitated, pulling Diana to a stop beside him.

“What’s wrong?” Diana asked, her eyes examining his countenance for any signs of trouble.

He shook his head, a small crease forming between his brows. His eyes were a kaleidoscope of emotions that seemed to cover the entire spectrum, ranging from excitement to doubt, joy to uneasiness. He breathed, “I just… It’s been so long since I…”

He trailed off, but Diana knew exactly what he meant. How he felt. Gaius looked to her, his expression as close to nervous as she had ever seen it. Diana smiled reassuringly, squeezing his hand. “Take your time.”

“Everything has changed, hasn’t it?” he asked quietly, gazing out at the street beyond as the sun continued its ascent into the sky. 

“Yes,” she replied, resting her head against his shoulder. “I suppose it has. But that’s just a part of life isn’t it?” She glanced up at him out of the corner of her eye. “You told me once that one of the most important things to learn is how to adapt to the changing times. In a way, this is just like that. Another evolution.”

Gaius continued to stare out the glass doors, his jaw working. Then he nodded, taking a deep breath. He released her hand, his fingers curling and uncurling by his side before he pushed the door open. 

For the first time in almost three thousand years, Gaius Augustine stepped out into the sunlight, and it did not burn. He closed his eyes, long lashes brushing the tops of his cheeks as his lips parted and a startled laugh bubbled up. He smiled softly. Peacefully.

He was radiant. 

Diana looked on as her heart thumped wildly, joyfully against her ribcage. Gaius looked so _young_ , so carefree as he stood there, soaking in the first light of day. She silently committed the scene before her to memory, burning it into the archives of her mind to look back upon in the years to come.

 _You’re the most beautiful man I have ever seen,_ she murmured through the bond, her body warming as his smile broadened. Gaius opened her eyes, shooting her a look that was full of pure adoration. Diana stepped beneath the arm he lifted for her, slipping her own around his waist.

“Are you ready to go home?” Diana asked as she angled their bodies in the direction of her apartment.

Gaius gazed up at the sky, squinting against the sun, then looked at the city around them. She knew that he was no stranger to New York City, but now, he looked as if he was gazing upon the towering buildings for the first time. 

“Not yet,” he admitted. He looked down at her with a shrug, rubbing circles into her upper arm with his thumb. “What’s the rush? We have an eternity to hurry to and fro. Let’s just… stay here for a moment.”

Diana nodded, tucking her head into the crook of his shoulder as they gazed out at the city sprawled before them. Diana closed her eyes and breathed in deep, taking in the blend of urban smells, some of them pleasant, others not so much. But beneath that and the harsh aroma of ash and blood, she could smell the fabric softener they washed their clothes with, the shampoo their shower was stocked with, the fragrant candles that always burned in their room.

Her breath came a little easier as reality continued to set in. They were truly here—alive, safe, and happy. They were together. They were home.

“I love you,” Diana murmured and felt butterflies flutter in her stomach when Gaius kissed the top of her head and replied, “I love you, too. You know I do.”

She and Gaius had come a long way to get to where they were today. They had gone from being complete strangers—born in different parts of the world at different times—to enemies, to allies, to friends, to lovers, and at last, to partners—in life and in death. They had traveled across countless countries, unraveled secrets that had remained hidden for thousands of years, and cheated death on more than one occasion. The journeys they embarked on, both apart and together, were enough to fill countless pages in the most enchanting novels. They had led lives full of adventure, danger, passion, and friendship. Their story was long and full of twists and turns. 

But this was only the beginning.


	36. Epilogue: Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life goes on and new adventures call.

Growing up, Diana had always been lonely.

But now, the memory of her sorrow is but a blip on the horizon, a whisper of a distant past. Now, she has found her home, her partner, and her greatest love. Now, Diana holds her friends close, loving them deeply with a heart of wildfire. And this time, nothing in the world will push them away.

Diana stands at the edge of the forest, gazing up at the ancient trees in wonder and a bit of nostalgia. It has been a long while since she has last visited this part of the world―since her last grand adventure began―but she knows that it has been faithfully waiting for her, even after all of this time. 

Since then, so much has changed. She is older now, even though her appearance doesn’t show it, and those years are starting to usher in a new understanding of the way the world works. How life becomes history and history cycles to become life once more. She is more patient and less afraid of what comes next. If she has learned anything in her years, it is that she can handle anything the world throws at her, especially with loved ones by her side.

Her hair, stark white, flows behind her in the gentle wind, curving like a sliver of moonlight. Her attempts to dye her hair back to its normal color died a few years ago, joining the graveyard that houses the remnants of her past life. She no longer hungers for blood. Her body sustains its youth on its own and her powers cannot grow beyond the current capacity. Just one of the checks and balances of godhood. 

And yet, staring into the mystic wood, Diana knows that so much still remains the same.

_These forests have been here long before us. They will be here long after._

Diana wonders if that is true anymore—if she will outlast this copse of wood. This forest may have borne witness to the dawn of time, but perhaps she will be the one to witness the end.

 _Ready?_ someone asks softly inside her mind.

Diana turns, an easy smile already blooming on her lips as Gaius walks up beside her, tightening the straps of his pack. His _gladius_ is nowhere to be seen, left behind in their hotel room. But no matter. He does not need it where they are going.

Diana slips her hand into his, fingers interlocking the way they have always been meant to. She feels the cool kiss of his wedding band against the side of her knuckle and her heart warms as she replies, _Always._

Together, they slip beyond the treeline, immersing themselves in the heart of the forest. They follow a winding path nearly overgrown with shrubbery and dew-speckled ferns. A part of Diana longs to run free in this wild plot of land, to feel the wind whip her hair, the brush snap against her legs. But she knows Gaius would never allow it, and rightfully so. Instead, rather than give him a heart attack or tire herself out to the point of needing yet another nap, she accepts the helping hand he extends to her to guide her over a fallen tree. 

“Let me carry that for you,” Gaius offers, reaching to take the wicker basket from her other hand, but Diana slaps his fingers away with an indignant pout. 

“You’re being a mother hen.” She shifts the handle of the basket into her other hand, away from him, as they continue down the path. “I think I can manage to carry a picnic basket on my own.”

Gaius rolls his eyes but lets her hold on to her charge, placing a steadying hand on her back. She shoots him an exasperated look although she doesn’t bat away his touch.

As they continue along the path, Diana hears the sound of distant leaves rustling, the soil around them shifting. She can sense the small, hidden creatures that watch over them, their own invisible entourage. Out of her peripheral, she sees flowers bloom and foliage thicken as she passes by, as if the forest itself is awakening to her presence. Birds chirp overhead, heralding her arrival.

A short while later, she and Gaius come to a small clearing that borders the edge of a rushing river. Diana’s skin tingles, refreshed, as a fine mist settles on her bare arms. The water here is ancient and magical, singing in harmony Diana’s own power, just as it had when they visited this place so many years ago. She carefully settles atop a flat, sun-warmed rock, and rearranges her long sundress so that it doesn’t snag on any twigs before taking a moment to enjoy the sounds of nature all around her.

 _You look like the muse of a_ _Bouguereau painting,_ Gaius notes as he sits down beside her, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair that had slipped free of her circlet of plaits behind her ear.

She smiles coyly, gazing up at him through her lashes as she reclines on her elbows, delighting in the way the sunlight falls across her face. “Perhaps you should learn how to paint.”

“You’re trying to turn me into a Renaissance man,” Gaius huffs as he opens the basket and begins to unpack the lunch they had brought.

“You practically are.” Diana shrugs as she begins to tick off her fingers. “Let’s see. You can spout poetry on a whim. You can play the piano—beautifully, I might add. You are a brilliant strategist and an excellent swordsman. You—”

Diana finds herself suddenly cut off as Gaius places a swift kiss on her lips, stemming her flow of honeyed words. When he pulls back, he rests his forefinger beneath her chin, tilting her gaze up to meet his. “You’re starting to put my compliments to shame.”

She grins. “Then you better brush up on your game.”

Gaius rolls his eyes and sits back, setting a sandwich wrapped in butcher’s paper on her lap. “This one’s yours.”

They eat in peaceful silence, basking in the sunlight, and listening to the roar of the river rushing past. When their meal of sandwiches, peaches, and pasta salad from the local deli is finished, Diana settles against Gaius’s chest, content to take another nap when he presses a crinkly paper bag into her hands. The look on her face is priceless as she pulls out the first fattigman cookie, and the kiss she gives him is sweeter than all of the pastries he brought her combined.

When their bellies are full and they have soaked up the sun, Diana retrieves the small containers of nectar she had carefully stacked in the bottom of the picnic basket. Gaius helps her feet and this time, she allows him to carry the containers as she kicks off her shoes and hikes up her dress to her knees. She holds onto his arm as they wade across the river, the stones slick with moss beneath her bare feet.

On the other side of the river, they open the containers and spread out the bowls of nectar atop the rocks like offerings. In a way, Diana supposes they are. 

Hardly a moment passes before the first set of eyes blink open from the shadows beyond the treeline, as if they had been waiting there all along. Diana suspects they have. The Little Folk, the shy creatures that they are, creep closer, dodging behind weather-worn stones and hunks of granite to remain unseen. Diana glances away and squeezes Gaius’s arm, gesturing for him to do the same. 

There is a scuttling sound, then the whisper of shifting leaves and snapping of brittle twigs. When Diana finally turns around, the containers of nectar are gone and the stones they sat upon are covered in tiny footprints. Her breath hitches in her throat as she sees what the Little Folk have left behind this time. 

There is one crown, simple and woven of willow twigs, strands of ivy, and glossy green leaves. Gaius’s. The second crown is made of a similar fashion, but significantly more ornate. Nestled amongst the intertwined vines and flower stalks are raw cuts of oligoclase feldspar, phenakite, and vesuvianite that sparkle in the sunlight like fallen stars. This one is hers. 

But there is a third, a simple circlet of vines and baby’s breath that is much smaller than the others but just big enough for a child’s head.

Diana’s lips part as she picks up the third coronet, weighing it in her hands. 

“Diana…” Gaius murmurs, just as Diana feels the forest bloom to life around her. When she looks up, hundreds of little eyes peer back at her. The Little Folk. But this time, they are not the only ones that have come to greet her. Humanoid figures linger among the trees, amber eyes fixed upon her countenance, their skin tones ranging from moss green to the richest dark brown. Their faces, surrounded by a tangle of hair-like vines, are otherworldly, but their expressions are recognizable: curious, evaluating, reverent. 

_Dryads,_ Gaius informs her, his palm resting against the middle of her spine to steady her.

A sudden splash draws their attention away from the forest nymphs. When they turn, they are greeted with another figure that is vaguely human, although this one is made of water. Light refracts off of its swirling form, making it sparkle and shine like a cluster of diamonds. 

_A water spirit._

Diana cannot make out the details of its face, but she understands the inquisitive tilt of its head. Like the rest of the creatures gathered, she senses no ill will from this one. It inspects her, chin dipping down as it studies her from head to toe. Although she cannot see its eyes, she notes that it appears to be staring at her abdomen. 

The water spirit leans forward with its arm outstretched, moving slowly as if it does not wish to startle her. Gaius goes rigid beside her, his fingers twisting in the back of her dress as if to pull her away, but Diana holds firm, reassuring him through their bond. Like the rest of the creatures gathered, she senses no ill will from this one. She sucks in a sharp breath as its fingers brush over her stomach and the cold water soaks through her cotton clothes.

The water spirit straightens abruptly, bubbling almost excitedly and Diana smiles, resting a protective hand over her stomach as she glances over at Gaius, who relaxes slightly now that it is clear nothing here means his wife any harm. Diana reaches for his hand, squeezing it affectionately. 

Then, her gaze snags on another figure, visible just over Gaius’s shoulder, and she gasps aloud. Diana stumbles a step and Gaius grips her elbow to stop her from falling. But she isn’t falling—no, she is lurching forward, as if to run ahead. Gaius turns, lips parting in surprise and awe.

A magnificent stag, with a coat as white as snow, emerges from the forest. Its proud antlers stand tall, gleaming silver in the light. It regards them with massive dark eyes as it slowly approaches, then stops a few yards away.

Diana identifies this majestic creature without Gaius’s input, the knowledge appearing on its own even though she has definitely never seen it before. No, somehow, she _knows_ this being. She feels it through the threads of fate or harmony or whatever it is that connects them. Perhaps they are simply kindred spirits, but she doubts the explanation could ever be so simple. Nevertheless, Diana knows with utmost certainty that this is the Heart of the Forest, the reason so much magic and life teems in these lands. 

She can see the stag’s sides rising and falling mightily, the flare of its nostrils as it senses her. When it does not flee, Diana gazes up at her husband, a mutual understanding passing between them. She passes the small crown off to Gaius and his touch falls away, fingers reassuringly brushing along her spine as she goes.

The stag does not move as she approaches, even as she stops before it and tentatively reaches out, laying her hand atop its warm muzzle. Diana inhales sharply and the stag’s large, leathery ears twitch slightly as their connection forms. She knows the feel of the soft earth beneath its steady hooves as it races across unnamed fields, the chill of the first snowfall on its thick, milky hide, the scent of fresh pine in its nostrils, and the powerful beat of its mighty heart. 

Diana exhales shakily, closing her eyes as her hands slide to delicately frame the stag’s head and she presses her forehead to his. There is a sort of kinship between her and this noble creature—two protectors of life, of nature and of men, who have watched and will continue to watch the world rise and fall. 

With a voice as ancient as the surrounding trees, as powerful as the rushing river, the Heart of the Forest speaks into her mind. As he does, Diana hears the whistling of a wild, wicked wind through towering mountains, smells the invigorating scent of pine, snow, and bluebells, feels the sensation of tall, lush grass swaying around her legs. Her heart begins to race and her power starts to stir in excitement. This is the call of the wild, and it awakens something deep inside. 

When he is done, Diana withdraws and nods with her lips pursed in thought. She meets the stag’s dark gaze once more, then it turns and begins its retreat. Diana watches as it goes, her fingers laced together across her front, twiddling her thumbs. A slight weight settles over Diana’s head as Gaius comes to stand beside her, placing the Little Folk’s diadem atop her hair and looking on with watchful eyes.

“What did it say?” he asks softly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Diana leans into his touch and takes a deep breath, letting the cool mountain air fill her lungs as she mentally prepares herself for their next adventure. 

_He said, ‘Welcome home,’_ Diana thinks through the bond, echoing the white stag’s last words to her. She senses Gaius’s curiosity as he takes note of her new resolve, both of them looking in the direction the stag had gone.

The Heart of the Forest pauses amongst the trees and looks back, dark eyes expectant. Once again, Diana feels the wild beckon her forth. 

And she longs to answer its call.

The forest seems to go still around them, as if every creature gathered is holding its breath in anticipation. Diana turns her gaze upon Gaius, slipping her fingers through his as she shares the visions the great stag had shown her. 

_Ready?_ she asks, leaning up to brush her lips over the edge of his jaw. Diana takes his hand and pulls him into a sweet but brief kiss. When she pulls away, she presses his palm to her rounded stomach. Gaius cannot help but smile brilliantly as he senses the warmth of her skin, the new life that grows within.

Gaius carefully tucks the remaining gifts from the Little Folk into his pack, then brushes a strand of her moon-white hair from her cheek as he replies, _Always._

Then, hand in hand, they follow the stag through the trees and into the waiting world beyond.

**_The End._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After almost two months and 165k words, the story is finally over. When I started this fic, I never even imagined that anyone would read it, much less form a small community of incredible supporters. Thank you all for the comments, the edits, the artwork, the kudos, the reblogs, the bookmarks, the patience, and most importantly, for coming along with me on this journey. 
> 
> This is the longest piece I've ever completed and the one I am most proud of by far. I owe everything to all of you incredible people who took the chance and dove into this world with me <3
> 
> Please, feel free to come find me on Tumblr at augustinian and hang out!


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